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OTHER BOOKS 
BY 
WADE CRAWFORD BARCLAY 


TRAINING FOR LEADERSHIP AND TEACHING. 
THE PRINCIPLES OF RELIGIOUS TEACHING. 


THE BIBLE. 


A BOOK OF WORSHIP. FOR USE AT TABLE ON EVERY 
DAY OF THE YEAR. 


THE ADULT WORKER AND WORK (WITH LYNDON B. 
PHIFER). 





ORGANIZATION AND 
ADMINISTRATION OF THE 
ADULT DEPARTMENT 


By s eae 
WADE CRAWFORD BARCLAY — 


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AN 21 1929 
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«4 








A Textbook in the Standard Course in 
Teacher Training, outlined and approved by the 
International Council of Religious Education 


SPECIALIZATION SERIES 


Printed for 
THE TEACHER TRAINING PUBLISHING 
ASSOCIATION 
by 
THE CAXTON PRESS 


Copyright, 1926, by 
WADE CRAWFORD BARCLAY 


All rights reserved, including that of translation into foreign languages, 
including the Scandinavian 


Printed in the United States of America 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER PAGE 
Epitor’s INTRODUCTION Beta et Lt, AY ARS UU wae wh 
I. ORGANIZATION FOR RELIGIOUS EDUCATION . . . II 
II. ADULT DEPARTMENT ORGANIZATION . . . ..... 26 
IJI. VALUES OF DEPARTMENT ORGANIZATION A Me 49 
TV RECRUITING THE, MEMBERSHIP) oo). oie) ie an ST 
V. THE ORGANIZED ADULT BIBLE CLASS MOVEMENT . 72 
VES ORCANIZATION OF” CUASSES 5) 90s 0) ey SN UN) pelos ge BS 
VII. ORGANIZING THE DEPARTMENT FOR STUDY AND 
PM CEEEN GE MYER Y Pan ONMN aE LUNN CA Saha” ane oem OY ARN COR 
VIII. ORGANIZING THE DEPARTMENT FOR SERVICE... 122 
IX. ORGANIZING THE SOCIAL AND RECREATIONAL PRO- 
“ETRY ETE ge ARR an RR I ee CRT GRC KG ANT GLL Fy 
X. DEPARTMENT AND CLASS SESSIONS . . . .. . 167 


SPECIALIZATION COURSES FOR TEACHERS OF INTER- 
MEDIATES, SENIORS, YOUNG PEOPLE, AND ADULTS 


Conforming to the Standard approved by the International 
Council of Religious Education 


Intermediate Department Specialization 
A Study of Early Adolescence. 
Intermediate Materials and Methods. 
Intermediate Department Administration. 


Senior Depariment Specialization 


A Study of Middle Adolescence. 
Senior Materials and Methods. 
Senior Department Administration. 


Young People’s Department Specialization 
A Study of Later Adolescence. 
Young People’s Materials and Methods. 
Young People’s Department Administration. 


Adult Department Specialization 
A Study of Adult Life. 
Adult Materials and Methods. 
Adult Department Administration. 


Electives for Adult Workers 


Principles of Christian Service. 
Religious Education in the Family. 
Christianizing the Modern World. 

A Brief History of Religious Education. 
Social and Recreational Leadership. 


EDITOR’S INTRODUCTION 


SPECIALIZATION COURSES IN TEACHER TRAINING: | 


EFFECTIVE leadership presupposes special training.. 
For teachers and administrative officers in the church 
school thorough preparation and proper personal: 
equipment have become indispensable. Present-day 
standards and courses in teacher training give evidence 
of a determination on the part of the religious-educa- 
tional forces of North America to provide an adequate 
training literature. Popular as well as professional 
interest in the matter is reflected in the constantly in- 
creasing number of training institutes, community and 
summer training schools, and college chairs and depart- 
ments of religious education. Hundreds of thousands 
of young people and adults, from all the Protestant 
evangelical churches and throughout every State and 
province, are engaged in serious study to prepare for 
service as religious leaders and teachers of religion or 
to increase their efficiency in the work in which they 
are already engaged. 

Most of these students and student teachers are pur- 
suing some portion of the Standard Course of Teacher 
Training outlined originally by the Sunday School 
Council of Evangelical Denominations and more re- 
cently revised by the Committee on Education of the 
International ‘Council of Religious Education. The 
Course as revised is organized on the basis of study 
units of not less than ten lessons or recitation hours 

7 


EDITOR’S INTRODUCTION 


each. The completion of twelve such units in accord- 
ance with the general scheme for the course entitles 
the student to the Standard Training Diploma. Of 
the twelve units, eight are general units (six required 
and two elective) dealing with child study, principles 
of teaching, Bible study, the Christian religion, and the 
organization and administration of religious educa- 
tion. The remaining four units of the Course are 
specialization units arranged departmentally. That is, 
provision for specialization is made for teachers and 
leaders of each of the following age groups: Cradle 
Roll (3 and under) ; Beginners (4-5) ; Primary (6-8) ; 
Junior (9-11); Intermediate (12-14) ; Senior (15-17) ; 
Young People (18-23); Adults (24 and over), and 
for Administrative officers. 

Which of these courses is to be pursued by any 
student or group of students will be determined by the 
particular place each expects to fill as teacher, super- 
intendent, or administrative officer in the church 
school. Leaders and teachers of adults will study four 
units pertaining to Adult Department work. Of these 
three are required units, while the fourth may be 
chosen from a number of available electives. Super- 
intendents and general officers in the school will study 
the four Administrative units (three required and one 
elective), and so for each of the groups indicated, thus 
adding to their specialized equipment each year. On 
page 6 of this volume will be found a complete outline 
of the Specialization Courses for teachers of Inter- 
mediates, Seniors, Young People, and Adults. 

A program of intensive training as complete as that 
thus outlined necessarily involves the preparation and 

8 


EDITOR’S INTRODUCTION 


publication of an equally complete series of textbooks 
including more than fifty separate units. Compara- 
tively few of the denominations represented in the 
International Council are able independently to under- 
take so large a program of textbook production. It 
is natural, therefore, that the denominations which to- 
gether have determined the general outlines of the 
Standard Course should likewise cooperate in the pro- 
duction of the required textbooks, in order to com- 
mand the best available talent for this important task, 
and to insure the success of the total enterprise. The 
preparation of these textbooks has proceeded under 
the supervision of an editorial committee representing 
all the cooperating denominations. The publishing 
arrangements have been made by a similar committee 
of denominational publishers, likewise representing all 
the cooperating churches. Together the editors, edu- 
cational secretaries, and publishers have organized a 
voluntary association for the carrying out of this par- 
ticular task under the name Teacher Training Publish- 
tng Association. The textbooks included in this 
series, while intended primarily for teacher-training 
classes in local churches and Sunday schools, are also 
admirably suited for use in interdenominational and 
community classes and training schools. 

The material of this textbook has been used by the 
author several times with groups of teachers and lead- 
ers of adults. It has been developed under the test of 
presentation to groups of workers engaged in the 
actual administration of adult work in various types 
of local churches and has undergone modification in 
the light of practical experience. The principles and 

9 


EDITOR’S INTRODUCTION 


ideals set forth will go far, it is believed, to increase 
the educational efficiency of the local church in its 
work with adults. 
For the Teacher Training Publishing Association, 
Henry H. Meyer, 
Chairman Editorial Committee. 


Io 


iA, PL 


ORGANIZATION FOR RELIGIOUS 
EDUCATION 


Wauat is the significance of organization in reli- 
gious work with adults in and by the church? What 
importance is to be attached to it in religious educa- 
tion? How shall the church organize for adult reli- 
gious education? Even more fundamental questions 
are: What do we mean by organization? and, Why 
have organization at all? 


THe MEANING AND-WoRTH OF ORGANIZATION 


Organization—its meaning.—“Organization,” we 
do well to remind ourselves, is a term borrowed from 
biology. This is evident from its derivation, and from 
its close relationship to the word “organism.” An 
“organism,” as is well understood, is something con- 
stituted “to carry on the purposes of life by means of 
parts or organs more or less separate in function but 
mutually dependent.” To organize means, therefore, 
to give an organic structure to, to furnish with or- 
gans by which the organism may live and perform 
the functions for which it exists. The point is—and 
it is an exceedingly important one—that organization 
is functional—tt is intended to serve the purposes of 
life. In this, and in this alone, is found the meaning 
of organization and the reason for organization. 

II 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


Whatever the particular organization under considera- 
tion may be, the only sufficient justification for organ- 
izing in the first place, or for continuing, is that life 
may be served. 

Organization as an end.—This vital conception of 
organization does not universally prevail. It is very 
common for organizations to be regarded as ends in 
themselves. Persons are exhorted to serve the organ- 
ization. Even workers in religious education fall into 
this error. They come to look upon organization as 
having value in and of itself. The current literature 
of religious education is not free from this fallacy. 
There are numerous books on the Sunday school which 
describe pattern forms of organization to be set up 
in all situations regardless of conditions, as if a par- 
ticular form of organization were of value apart from 
its ability to serve the needs of life in a particular 
situation. Sometimes existing or traditional forms of 
organization are prescribed, as if particular forms of 
organization are inviolable, to be continued for their 
own sake apart from their ability to meet the interests 
and needs of persons. When those who hold this 
point of view come to treat of Adult Department or- 
ganization—a form that has not existed in the past— 
they assume that it involves simply an extension of a 
traditional organization, the duplication of a pre- 
viously existing form with the addition of a few more 
officers and committees. 

Organizations as means.—The functional ap- 
proach to the subject is different. It asks: What is 
to be accomplished in the lives of the men and women 


who are proposing to group themselves together in a 
12 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


department? What is their aim or purpose? Having 
answered these fundamental questions, it proceeds to 
consider what form of organization is required to ac- 
complish the desired purposes. 

Just this is proposed for this chapter. Let us inquire 
what is to be accomplished in the lives of men and 
women, that in the light of this purpose we may later 
determine the form of organization best adapted to 
accomplish this purpose. Are the leaders of adult 
work who study this book prepared to adopt this 
attitude? Are you who have been perhaps for years 
accustomed to a certain type or form of organization 
willing to think through the problem of the aims of 
religious work with adults and then to plan the organ- 
ization of your department in the light of these aims, 
even to the extent of changing existing forms of or- 
ganization or perhaps actually discarding obsolete ma- 
chinery? This is an important question. Will you 
not answer it before you read further? 


AIMS IN TERMS OF LIFE 


What, then, are the aims of the Adult Department 
in terms of life? The reason for organization is that 
the purposes of life may be served. What are these 
purposes in the case of the Adult Department? 

These questions really compel us to go back one 
step further and ask concerning the purpose of people 
in forming themselves into a church. The Adult De- 
partment is simply the grouping together into a single 
organization of all the adults of the church. It is the 
adult school of religion of the church. Its proper 

purpose and aim, therefore, cannot be understood apart 
13 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


from the purpose of the church itself, of which it is 
an integral part. 

The purpose of the church.—How shall the pur- 
pose of the church be stated? We are thinking, of 
course, of the Church of Christ, not of any particular 
denomination. How did Jesus himself state his pur- 
pose? Recall his own words as recorded by the writer 
of the fourth Gospel: “I came that they may have life, 
and may have it abundantly” (John 10. 10). Again 
by the same writer: “Ye will not come to me, that ye 
may have life’ (John 5. 40). How did the first fol- 
lowers of Jesus understand his purpose? What was 
the thought of Paul, the great apostle to the Gentiles? 
We find various statements in his Epistles. Take as 
one of the most significant of these his statement in 
Ephesians in which he lists those whom he says are 
given by Christ—apostles, prophets, evangelists, pas- 
tors, and teachers—‘‘for the perfecting of the saints, 
unto the work of ministering, unto the building up of 
the body of Christ: till we all attain unto the unity 
of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, 
unto a full-grown man, unto the measure of the stat- 
ure of the fullness of Christ’ (4. 12-13). Life, the 
abundant life, the fully developed personality—this 
is the objective of the church for the individual. 

Thinking, then, of the local church, may we not say 
that it is a company or society of people who have asso- 
ciated themselves together, the better thereby to attain 
to the more abundant life, the life of fellowship with 
God, the Father, through Jesus Christ, and with men 
as brothers? Members of the church are followers of 
Jesus’ way (just this—‘“the Way,’ the first disciples 

14 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


called it), the way of living which finds its expression 
in the fellowship of the individual with God as Father 
and with men as brothers. The purpose of the church 
is this experience of the life with God—an individual 
experience and a group experience—the realization 
of this fellowship within local groups and its exten- 
sion to the ends of the earth. 

The church organizes itself as a group, that it may 
thereby the more effectively attain its purpose. That 
is, its organization, just to the extent that it is vital 
and significant, is functional. By this is meant that 
its organization serves the ends, the purposes, of the 
Christian life of its members. If it does this, the 
organization is vital, or, as we sometimes say, dyna- 
mic or efficient. To the extent that the organization 
fails to do this it is ineffective and useless. 

The Christian life, just because it is life, is a growth, 
a development. It is never static. It grows from 
within, ever reaching outward and upward. The pur- 
pose of the church, therefore, is to stimulate and guide 
the development of its members in the abundant life. 

The process to be used.—Other questions press 
for answer: How may the church realize its pur- 
pose? What process is most effective in accomplishing 
this vital end? Different epochs have answered 
these questions differently. Our own epoch, in com- 
mon with others, has its answer. Increasingly the 
church in our day is coming to believe that religious 
education is effective above all other means in realiz- 
ing the great end for which the church exists. 

The church has its inherited ways of working, just as 
it has other inheritances from its historical past; and 

15 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


it is difficult for it to free itself from bondage to. tra- 
ditional methods. Not all members of the church see 
eye to eye with regard to the way or ways in which 
the church is to do its work; rapidly, however, the con- 
viction is gaining ground, particularly among the lead- 
ers of the church, and more gradually but with equal 
certainty among the rank and file, that the most ef-— 
fective means by which the church may accomplish 
its end is religious education. This undoubtedly is 
the characteristic answer of our day to the question 
as old as Christianity itself: How may the church 
most effectively realize its purpose? 

This means that religious education is the task of 
the whole church. It is not the task of a group within 
the church or of a group separately organized; it is 
the church’s task. It is not the responsibility of a few 
officers and teachers of the Sunday school; the church 
as such—the whole church—adopts the process of re- 
ligious education as that by which its great work 
shall be done. 

Let this point be understood. The point is that the 
Church School is not something apart from the church, 
not an appendage in the form of a supplementary or- 
ganization the church is now to feature more prom- 
inently than in the past, but that the Church School is 
the church organizing itself for the accomplishment 
of its task through the use of a particular process; and 
that this process—religious education—is that above 
all others by which the church shall be enabled to ac- 
complish its supreme task. 

The church, of course, is not limited to one partic- 
ular way of working. It may and should use varied 

16 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


methods and processes. Without disparaging any of 
the instrumentalities that have proved serviceable, an 
increasing number of persons have come to the con- 
viction—a conviction that is growing in depth and 
power and unanimity constantly—that the one suffi- 
cient and certain means of promoting and developing 
Christian experience and life is religious education— 
the evangelism of education. 

The aim of religious education—We have been 
discussing religious education as a process by which 
the church is to realize its purpose. Every vital proc- 
ess has certain objectives that are consistent with 
itself. Is this aim, as we have stated it, one that reli- 
gious education may make its own? This is an im- 
portant point, for just here there has been a great 
deal of misunderstanding. The church and the lead- 
ers of the movement for religious education have not 
always used a common vocabulary, and many pastors 
and teachers have thought of the aim of religious edu- 
cation, because differently phrased, as something dif- 
ferent from the aim or purpose of the church. But 
what is the aim of religious education? It has been 
variously phrased, but there is no better way of stating 
it than to use Jesus’ language, already quoted: “I came 
that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.” 
This may be stated in other words: The aim of reli- 
gious education is to aid men and women to attain the 
fullest possible development of Christian personality 
and the largest possible fruitfulness in Christian serv- 
ice.1 The essential purpose of the church and the 


1See Adult Religious Education, Barclay; Chapter II: ‘‘The Aims of Adult 
Religious Education.” 


17 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


aim of religious education are identical. The church, 
in adopting religious education as its most effective 
method of working, is exactly in line with the purpose 
of its Founder. In religious education it is rediscov- 
ering a process by which the purpose of Jesus may be 
realized. 

A social aim.—The fact should be emphasized that 
the purpose of the church is not one that can be real- 
ized in individual experience alone; the church is a 
social organism. It exists not merely for the individ- 
ual but for social ends—the realization of the life of 
fellowship among all men. This wider fellowship was 
spoken of by Jesus as the kingdom of God—a social 
order in which the will of God is done in all the rela- 
tionships of life. The church exists for the realization 
of the kingdom of God. : 

The process of religious education is just as sig- 
nificant as related to the social aim of the church as to 
the individual aim. The kingdom of God—the wider 
Christian fellowship, a social order in which love, good 
will, and righteousness are supreme—is formed in the 
motives, the affections, the purposes, the wills, and 
the conduct of persons. The kingdom of God is first 
of all within. There is only one way in which such a 
kingdom can be effectively built. These Christian mo- 
tives and purposes, righteous wills, and loving hearts, 
expressing themselves in social conduct, are formed 
by religious education—a process that thus relates 
itself both to the inner life of the individual and to 
social relationships. ) 

Aims in adult life—We have spoken in terms of 
the general aim of the church, the general aim of reli- 

18 





OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


gious education. Does this aim apply within the adult 
group? Such an aim, obviously, is not different in 
the case of adults than in that of young people or of 
children. Adult religious experience has not reached 
a point beyond which no further development is pos- 
sible. No adult may say that he has fully attained to 
the stature of a full-grown man as measured by the 
ideals of Jesus. Throughout adult life the process of 
religious education should be continuous. 


THe Means oF Reticious EpUCATION 


Is it possible for this general aim, as stated, to be 
made more concrete? Can it be separated into its ele- 
ments, so that we may more definitely understand 
what is involved in the process, and the means by 
which the aim is to be attained? 

Fellowship with the Father.—Through worship 
we come into communion, or fellowship with God. By 
it we are enabled to learn the availability of God for 
meeting our human needs and to cultivate our capacity 
for utilizing spiritual resources. Thus worship is 
seen to be a first means of religious education. Our 
people need to understand more fully the meaning of 
worship and its place in the Christian life. The public 
service in which the entire congregation meets to- 
gether in common worship is to be regarded as an 
agency, or means, of religious education. It is the one 
occasion bringing together the entire membership of 
the church, young and old, in a general assembly. Both 
as a service of worship and for the hearing of the ser- 
mon it is of the highest importance. Children and 
young people need training in worship as well as the 

1g 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


opportunity to worship together in graded age groups. 
Those needs should be met in the departmental assem- 
blies of the Church School. Many adults likewise need 
training in worship. As church members they may 
have attended the public service merely as passive 
auditors, without really engaging in worship. Others 
may never have attended the public service except upon 
rare occasions. They need first of all to learn how to 
worship. Having learned, they need the constant prac- 
tice of worship. Without such training and practice 
their growth in the Christian life and their develop- 
ment in personality are dwarfed. 

Learning the Christian way.—As the Christian 
life is “the Way” of life, it should be clear that a first 
essential is to learn how to live the Christian way. This 
is the second element in the aim of organization among 
the adults of the church. They organize themselves 
as the adult age group of the church the more perfectly 
to learn how to live the life of fellowship and to co- 
operate in helping others to learn “the Way.” 

How may the life of fellowship be learned? It is 
not proposed here to enter into a detailed discussion of 
the means of religious. education except as such dis- 
cussion is necessary as bearing upon the problem of 
organization. Such detailed discussion may be found 
in other books.! It would seem entirely clear that a 
primary need is for opportunities to learn through asso- 
ciation and experience the life of love, good will, 
and righteousness. That is, people learn “the Way” 
by associating with others who exemplify “the Way” 


1See Adult Religious Education: Aims, Materials, and Methods, Barclay, 
especially Chapters IV, V, IX, X. 


20 








OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


in their conduct and conversation and by utilizing op- 
portunities for the expression of love, kindness, and 
good will. People learn Christian living by actively 
sharing in the life of a Christian group. They learn 
the life of love, good will, and righteousness by shar- 
ing the life of a social group the members of which 
love one another, have only good will toward one an- 


_ other and toward all men, and constantly practice ways 


of helping one another. 

A primary purpose of organization, therefore,. is 
that of making actual and real this Christian fellow- 
ship of the adult members of the church and of the 


church constituency. It will be necessary for the 


members of the adult group to come together fre- 
quently. Opportunities must be provided for all to 
become acquainted with one another and for acquaint- 
ance to ripen into friendship. There is little fellow- 
ship among people who are strangers. Gatherings and 
events of various kinds are needed to promote sociabil- 
ity and to satisfy the needs of adult men and women 


for recreation and social enjoyment. Occasional 
_ chance events are not enough. Carefully planned de- 


votional programs and social and recreational programs 
are necessary. 

Learning how to live the life of fellowship involves 
more than association and expression. The ideals of 
the gospel, expressed in their simplest, briefest form, 
are contained in the New Testament—in the life and 
teaching of Jesus, in the history of the beginnings of 
the organized fellowship of disciples in the Acts, in 
practical counsels to believers, and in the development 
of Jesus’ teaching in doctrinal form in the Epistles. 

21 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


But the New Testament roots historically in the Old 
Testament. The Christian religion did not spring up 
overnight; it had its antecedents in the long develop- 
ment recorded in the Hebrew Scriptures. Really to 
know the Christian religion historically one must study 
the Old Testament. The early fellowship of follow- 
ers of “the Way” soon became a church, and the 
church has had a long and varied history. The prin- 
ciples and ideals of the gospel in every age have come 
into contact with various forms of thought and with 
various forms of the organized life of society and have 
influenced these and been influenced by them. All this 
has bearing upon the life of fellowship, and in learning 
to live the Christian way adults will find this, and 
more, profitable for study. 

Adults are concerned with more than self-develop- 
ment. Even more than for themselves they are con- 
cerned for others who have not yet learned “the Way” 
and for the coming generation—the children and young 
people who will so soon constitute the church. Noth- 
ing can be more important than to learn how children 
may be most effectively aided in learning “the Way” 
and how the church may be made a real school of 
social living for all its children and young people. 

Enlistment in service.—A third great means of re- 
ligious education is service. It should be the purpose 
of the Adult Department to engage all its members in 
systematic, continuous service to the largest possible 
number. It is not enough that the motive of service 
shall be espoused merely as a fine sentiment; it must 
actually become the dominant, determining motive of 
all conduct and action. That this shall come to pass 

22 


eee ee ee ee 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


it is necessary for the church to provide immediate op- 
portunities for service activities. Men and women 
learn to serve by serving. The motive of service be- 
comes dominant by being given opportunities of ex- 
pression. There are tremendous unused resources of 
service in our churches. This fact was illustrated in 
a striking way during the Great War. A willingness 
to serve and capacities for service before unrealized 
were everywhere revealed. These were not created 
by the emergency of war; they were present, latent 


_ but unused, all the time. It was only required that 


ee ee 


: 





: 


they should be called out. A cause and a program 
sufficient to realize the energies present but latent were 
required. In the Christian gospel applied to the needs 
of the world we have the ever-present, sufficient cause. 
Only a compelling program is required, and this it 
should be the aim of the Adult Department to supply. 


_It is necessary that the program shall offer such varied 


opportunities for service that all may have a chance to 
engage in those forms of service for which by native 
gifts and temperament they are best adapted. 

For large numbers of men and women service is the 
most effective means of religious education. They 


are motor-minded: their readiest response is in action. 


An appeal to service in the name of Christ in behalf 
of their fellow men never falls upon deaf ears. They 
are not primarily interested in study, not even in the 
study of the New Testament; but they are ready to 


spend and be spent in helping others—in relieving suf- 

fering, in aiding the unfortunate, in making others 

-happy—to follow Jesus with abandon in going about 

doing good. In such service they find God and enter 
23 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


into fellowship with him. For them the enlistment 
in service is the chief means of the development of the 
abundant life. 

Other means.—There are yet other means of reli- 
gious education. 


‘And God fulfills himself in many ways, 
Lest one good custom should corrupt the world.’! 


The Adult Department will find other ways of realiz- 
ing its objective in the lives of men and women, but its 
chief reliance will be upon the lines of activity that 
have been briefly outlined. 


FORM OF ORGANIZATION 


The purpose of the men and women of the church 
in the organization of the Adult Department and the 
means by which this purpose is to be attained having 
been discovered, the form of organization required 
may be determined. Or, to state the situation in terms 
of a particular group in a local church, the men and 
women of the church, having associated themselves 
together in an Adult Department—the adult school 
of religion—that they may aid one another to attain 
the fullest possible development of Christian person- 
ality and the largest possible fruitfulness in Christian 
service, and having decided upon the means to be used, 
confront the problem of the form of organization re- 
quired to realize this purpose. This problem is dis- 
cussed in the next chapter. 


For Group Discussion 


1. Is organization an end or a means? 
i“The Passing of Arthur,’’ Tennyson. 


24 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


gag is the fundamental purpose of organiza- 
tion: 
3. How shall the purpose of the church be stated? 
4. How may the church most effectively realize its 
purpose ? 
5. May the purpose of the church and the objectives 
of religious education be expressed in common terms? 
6. Is the purpose of the church individual or social? 
7. What are the educational means to be used by 
the church in realizing its purpose? 


For WRITTEN Work}? 


1. Has any adult group in your church ever dis- 
cussed, to your knowledge, the function to be served 
by the organization of an Adult Department of the 
church? Under what circumstances was the question 
discussed ? 

2. How was the form of organization which now 
prevails among the adults of your church originally 
determined ? 

3. What seems to be the dominating purpose, so far 
as it can be determined by observation of the types of 
activity maintained, of the prevailing form or forms of 
organization of adults in your church? 

4. To what extent does the educational ideal prevail 
in the thinking of the pastor and the lay leaders of 
your church? 

s. What are the specific educational means or meth- 
ods, if any, relied upon in seeking to achieve the dom- 
inant purpose of the church? 


1This assignment for written work and others in connection with the 
remaining chapters of this book are of the nature of a foretask. In using 


_ the book as a study text the assignment for written work at the end of each 


chapter should be given out in advance of the study and discussion of the 
chapter. The questions asked are a preparation, chiefly in the form of.a 
study of the local church with which the student is connected, for the study 
of the chapter. 


25 


CHAPTER II 
ADULT DEPARTMENT ORGANIZATION 


THE importance of an Adult Department of the 
chureh having been established through a study of the 
ends to be served, the problem of form of organization 
presents itself. How may the adults of the church as 
a group organize themselves most effectively to realize 
the aims that they have determined upon? What form 
of organization is required in order that the Adult De- 
partment may live and do its work? 

Experience has shown that in all organized social 
groups, in order that the group may be enabled to carry 
out the purposes of its organic existence, it is neces- 
sary for certain persons to be designated as executives, 
through whom the group as a whole may act. Real- 
ization of the aims of the Adult Department involves 
specialized forms of activity, and for leadership in 
these activities those with special aptitudes should be 
set apart. This is the principle set forth by Paul in 
the first letter to the Corinthians, in which he points 
out that just as the body, though one, has many parts, 
and that all the parts of the body, many as they are, 
form one body, so is it with the church. ‘God has 
placed people in the church, first as apostles, second as 
inspired preachers, third as teachers, then wonder- 
workers; then come ability to cure the sick, helpful- 
ness, administration, ecstatic speaking. Is every one 

26 


THE ADULT DEPARTMENT. 


an apostle? Is every one an inspired preacher? Is 
every one a teacher? .. .” (1. Cor. 12. 28, 29; Good- 
speed’s translation.) These persons through whom the 
group acts in specific ways are commonly known as the 
officers of the department. 


OFFICERS OF THE DEPARTMENT 


Determining factors——The number of officers re- 
quired and what these officers shall be will depend on 
local circumstances. No statement may be made that 
will apply in all cases. No more officers should be 
elected than are required in order that the work of the 
department may be effectively accomplished. The idea 
should be not to conform every organization to a pre- 
scribed pattern but, rather, that each department shall 
elect such officers as are needed under the conditions of 
its existence, such as the number of members of the 
department, needs of the local situation, and possibil- 
ities of service. For a small Adult Department in a 
village or rural church to elect a dozen or more officers 
merely to conform to an artificial pattern plan can only 
result in confusing the minds of the members concern- 
ing the purpose of organization and in cumbering the 
department with dummy officers whose principal ac- 
tivity will be that of getting in one another’s way. 

In most situations at least the following officers will 
be found to be necessary: 

(a) Adult Department superintendent —This officer 
serves as the acting head of the department. He is 
the chief executive, through whom the group judg- 
ment is expressed and its will executed. He is the 
friend, counselor, and guide of all the members. He 

27 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


presides at the formal sessions of the department. It 
is his special responsibility to guide the department 
in determining its policies and planning its program 
—not alone the program of study but also the program 
of service and the program of recreation, and at least 
recommending persons as teachers. He shares with 
the pastor and the director of religious education the 
responsibility of coordinating and bringing into unity 
of purpose and harmony of action the various organ- 
izations and programs for adults which exist within 
the local church. 

The church will hold the Adult Department super- 
intendent in large measure responsible for the success 
or failure of the Adult Department; and, consequently, 
if a spirit of fairness prevails in the governing boards 
of church and school, he will be given ample admin- 
istrative powers. In the past the general superintend- 
ent of the Church School has given attention to admin- 
istration throughout the entire school; departmental 
organization, if it has existed at all, being merely a 
form. In some cases this tradition may result in some 
conflict of authority between the general superintend- 
ent and the department superintendent. If such a 
situation develops it should be taken in hand promptly 
by the governing board, and the principle enunciated 
that while the superintendent of the school is the gen- 
eral administrator of all departments, the responsibil- 
ity and problems of the various departments are such 
as to require all available time of the departmental su- 
perintendents, each of whom should be given a degree 
of freedom consistent with the responsibility involved. 
The general superintendent will find that successful 

28 





OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


administration of a departmentalized school requires 
that he give department superintendents considerable 
power of initiative, holding them responsible for the 
results achieved. 

The department superintendent should recognize 
the general supervisory responsibility of the general 
superintendent; he should consult freely with him on 
all policies and problems; he should bring these pol- 
icies and programs both to the department council and 
to the governing board of the school for free and full 
discussion and should be open to the suggestions from 
these sources. He should report fully to the governing 
board and be loyal to the principles adopted for the 
school as a whole. Only as the superintendents of the 
various departments do this is it possible for the 
school to have a harmonious staff and a unified pro- 
gram. 

The Adult Department superintendent should be a 
man of broad vision. These are years of rapid devel- 
opment in all aspects of religious education, and the 
development should not be less in adult education than 


in other departments. Only a man who is mentally 


alert, abreast of modern developments, and whose face 
is toward the future can guide in the development of 
an Adult Department adequate to the opportunities 
and needs of to-day. He should be a man of social 
passion, of initiative, forceful and able to lead others, 
one not afraid of innovations if they contain promise 
of results for the kingdom of God, and, as is required 
in every religious leader, a man of transparent reli- 
gious character. Such a man will find the superin- 
tendency of the Adult Department of a live Church 
29 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


School a position of potential power and large achieve- 
ment. 

(b) Associate Adult Department superintendent.— 
The associate superintendent will cooperate with the 
department superintendent, acting for him in the lat- 
ter’s absence. In many instances the associate will be 
an understudy, in training for the superintendency of 
the department. 

(c) Adult Department secretary and treasurer.— 
The department will require an officer to keep the 
records of the department, attend to necessary corres- 
pondence, and receive and disburse funds. In large 
departments it will be advisable to separate these 
functions, electing both a secretary and a treasurer. 

(d) Director of home and extension membership.— 
A leader will be required to organize and supervise 
the home classes and extension membership of the 
department.1 This is a very important office. There 
are many persons who are so situated that is is impos- 
sible for them to attend the regular Sunday and week- 
night sessions of the Adult Department. Some of 
these may be formed into small groups to meet at 
other times. Others, who are home-bound by age or 
other infirmity, cannot leave the house to participate in 
class or department meetings, but are glad to be re- 
lated to the Church School as home members. What 
the Adult Department superintendent is to the mem- 
bers of the department who attend its sessions the 
director of home and extension membership is to the 
non-attending members. 

In many situations effective work may be done by 


18ee pages 117, 118. 


30 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


a Parent-Teacher Association composed of officers 
and teachers of the school, the pastor, and the parents 
of children enrolled in the school. Such an association 


_may be general, for the entire school; or departmental, 


for a particular department. By means of such a de- 
partment it is possible not only to secure home co- 
operation in the work of the school but also accomplish 
much in the training of parents for the moral and reli- 
gious nurture of their children. When such an asso- 


ciation is impracticable it may be possible to organize 





: 


_ developing as the work expands and needs require. 


a Mothers’ Club composed of mothers of children of 
_ the school or of a particular department. In either case 


the form of organization should be simple and flexible, 


(e) Pianist—There should be a regularly elected 


pianist, who should be in his place at the piano at all 


meetings of the department. 

({) Song leader—A leader of song, regular in at- 
tendance, will contribute much to the interest and 
esprit de corps of the meetings of the department. 

(g) What additional organization?—Perhaps we 
have gone as far as we should in suggesting officers 
likely to be found necessary. Additional organization 
will undoubtedly be required. As needs are clearly 
perceived there should be no hesitancy in providing for 
them. 

A preliminary discussion of purposes of the depart- 
ment will reveal essential lines of activity. Such a 
discussion will be found in the pages immediately fol- 
lowing. Responsibility for the direction of these ac- 
tivities may be lodged either in directors or in stand- 
ing committees. In the former case directors, in carry- 

31 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


ing on the work, will find it necessary to call to their 
assistance special committees appointed for specific 
tasks—the committees discharged when the tasks are 
completed. In the latter case responsibility will rest 
with standing committees elected for the year, whose 
chairmen will have functions virtually the same as di- 
rectors, each having associated with himself one com- 
mittee for the year instead of a number of special 
committees. 

The plan of special committees has much in its 
favor. Responsibility is more definitely fixed. <A 
committee is created for a very specific task and imme- 
diate results are expected. When these are achieved 
the committee gives way and another is called into 
existence whenever a need appears. In this way the 
maximum number of persons may be enlisted in spe- 
cific activities. Each new committee undertakes its 
task with some degree of spontaneity and enthusiasm. 
In recent years an increasing number of effective or- 
ganizations have adopted the plan of special commit- 
tees. 

Adult-work council.—lIn all cases either an adult- 
work council or a department executive committee will 
be found necessary. Because of the prevailing situa- 
tion in most churches as regards existing organizations 
for adults the council will as a rule be found prefer- 
able. 

The council will consist of the officers of the Adult 
Department, the pastor, the director of religious edu- 
cation, the general superintendent of the church 
school, the presidents of all organized classes, and the 
presidents of all other adult organizations of the 

32 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


church. Practically every church, for example, has 
a woman’s missionary society, which does something 
in the way of maintaining mission-study classes. 
Other organizations may offer courses in other lines of 
reading or study. The ultimate objects of such study 
are identical with those of classes of the Adult De- 
partment. It is important that those who have im- 
mediate responsibility for the work of all these organ- 
‘izations with common objectives shall be brought to- 
gether into a council where all policies and plans may 
‘be announced and explained. Only in some such 
“way can overlapping and competition be avoided, and 
a proper correlation of all the educational work of 
the church for adults accomplished. The council is 
not to be thought of as an overhead organization; it is 
a coordinating agency through which unity, harmony, 
and efficiency may be attained. 


PURPOSES OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


The purposes of the department may be here re- 
viewed briefly as a means of discovering what addi- 
tional officers and committees are likely to be required. 

Recruiting the membership.—Just to the extent 
that the members of the department are imbued with 
the Christian spirit they will desire to bring others 
into their fellowship. In doing this they will nat- 
urally use spontaneous, informal means. They will 
talk with others of the fellowship of the department, 
its satisfactions, joys, and values, of specific benefits 
that accrue to them from its activities, and invite them 
to attend the department sessions. They will also de- 
sire to use other means, as a group, of increasing the 

33 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


membership. Such forms of publicity and advertising 
as seem best adapted to the local situation will be de- 
cided upon. General publicity of itself, however, is 
insufficient and need will be felt for definitely locating 
responsibility for personal invitations to membership. 
Men and women may be attracted by clever advertis- 
ing, led to attend the sessions of the department for a 
few times, but that they shall become permanently at- 
tached to the department, actually an integral part of 
the group, it is necessary for publicity to be supple- 
mented by tactful presentation of the advantages of 
membership, personal fellowship, and cultivation of 
friendship. All the members of the department should 
consider it to be their privilege and responsibility to 
welcome newcomers and to promote mutual acquaint- 
ance and good fellowship, but in addition it should 
be made the special business of some of the members 
to see that no one is overlooked, and that all who at- 
tend the department sessions are invited into the fel- 
lowship. 

It is equally important that responsibility be def- 
initely fixed for systematically following up absentees. 
That this may be done, the department secretary should 
regularly supply lists of those absent from the de- 
partment sessions. 

The secretary of the school should regularly furnish 
the names and addresses of parents of new pupils in 
the younger departments. Invariably when children 
are enrolled for the first time, one or more representa- 
tives of the Adult Department should visit the home 
and endeavor to enlist the parents. Few more favor- 
able opportunities are ever presented for winning men 

34 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


and women. The appeal to encourage the children by 
their own attendance and to prepare themselves for 
more fully meeting their parental responsibility in the 
moral and spiritual nurture of their children is one 
that parents cannot easily resist. 

Program of study.—The program of study of the 
Adult Department will need to be carefully planned. 
Is it too much to say that those responsible for the 
program of study should give themselves to their task 
with a thoroughness and diligence comparable to that 
which a college faculty committee on curriculum gives 
to planning the curriculum of the college? Complete 
information concerning available courses of study 
should be available. Announcements from the pub- 
lishing house of the denomination should be procured, 
together with samples of textbooks, that teachers and 

class committees may be intelligently advised with re- 
gard to the choice of courses and textbooks. 

The committee on religious education of the local 

church or whatever other committee exists for the 
planning and supervision of the educational program 
of the church should be consulted fully that the pro- 
gram of the Adult Department may be in harmony 
with the general program of the church as a whole. 

Program of service.—There is no more important 

responsibility in the entire church than for the pro- 
gram of service. The complete adult resources of the 
church should be systematically: utilized in service. 
To do this will require thorough planning and skillful 
direction. Those who are made primarily responsible 
for the program of service will be to the church as the 
supreme agency of community and world service what 
35 





ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


the official board or board of trustees is to the church 
as a business institution. Just as these boards see to 
it that the church property is properly cared for and 
the financial obligations of the church are promptly 
met, so these persons will see to it that all of the adult 
members of the church are actively enlisted in one or 
more definite projects of personal service. Through 
their systematic planning, enthusiasm, wisdom and 
tact, and ceaseless activity, acting always in close co- 
operation with the pastor, the church that so often in 
the past has existed to be ministered unto will find 
itself living to minister and to give its life in service 
to many. 

Social and recreational program.—Planning and 
carrying out the program that shall minister to the 
social and recreational needs of the adult members 
and constituency of the church is another important 
task. Activities should be planned on so comprehen- 
sive a scale that no person in the entire constituency 
of the church is overlooked. This will require many 
different kinds of activities. It is evident that much 
will depend upon the enterprise, initiative, and in- 
genuity of those upon whom responsibility chiefly de- 
pends. 

Worship and evangelism.—The first responsibility 
in this connection will be for the department program 
of worship. Into the planning of the weekly session 
should go the best thought of thoroughly qualified per- 
sons. The religious education of adults should not be 
understood as an attempt to overintellectualize religion 
or to make it an academic matter. Any undue tendency 
in this direction should be strenuously resisted. Reli- 

36 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


gious education that is coldly intellectual, that neglects 
either emotional or conduct values, is sure to be barren 
‘and unfruitful. For these reasons the entire work of 
the Adult Department should be thought of in terms 
of educational evangelism. The teacher in his office 
of teaching is an evangelist, the adult superintendent 
in his conduct of the service of worship is an evangel- 
ist, and so is every other officer of the department. 
Nevertheless, in some cases, particularly in the large 
church, it will be found advisable definitely to locate 
responsibility for planning ways and means of special 
emphasis on evangelism. For example, an evangelistic 
band may be organized to conduct services in other 
churches and in neglected neighborhoods. Marked 
success has attended the work of such bands in recent 
years in several parts of the country. Systematic per- 
sonal work among the unchurched and unevangelized 
of the community may also be planned. In these and 
other similar ways a very large service may be ren- 
dered. 

Location of responsibility—Our discussion has 
suggested five principal lines of activity of major 
importance. In planning its program the department 
should consider how best these activities may be in-. 
itiated and carried forward. Shall responsibility be 
centered on directors—a director of membership, a 
director of study and training, a director of service, a 
director of social and recreational activity, and a direc- 
tor of worship and evangelism—each to appoint special 
committees as need may arise, or shall standing com- 
mittees be elected, each with a chairman who at the 
same time may be designated as a director? As stated 

37 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


earlier in our discussion the present tendency favors 
the plan of special rather than standing committees. 
This plan is almost invariably more effective in getting 
prompt and vigorous action. The special committee 
appointed for a specific purpose is likely to feel its 
responsibility keenly and proceed immediately to the 
execution of its task. The method of special commit- 
tees also provides opportunity for testing out new 
members. A new member may be placed on a special 
committee and given an opportunity to demonstrate his 
capacities of service. 


THe Mayor EmpHasis 


Conditions of success.—If{ the Adult Department 
is to function as a department it must be something 
more than a loose aggregation of adult organizations, 
missionary societies, clubs, guilds, brotherhoods, and 
organized classes. If the leaders of the various or- 
ganized classes propose that these classes shall continue 
their more or less independent, unaffiliated status, com- 
paratively little may be accomplished. There must be 
a sincere effort to magnify department organization 
and subordinate class organization. The organized 
classes must be willing very largely to merge their 
identity as organizations into that of the department. 
To some organized class leaders this may seem an un- 
reasonable demand. No attempt should be made to 
use compulsion. The ideal of the larger, more com- 
prehensive organization should be presented, its ad- 
vantages set forth, and the class leader tactfully urged 
to sacrifice the lesser for the greater good. This does 
not mean that under ideal conditions all class organ- 

38 





OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


ization will disappear; it means that major emphasis 
shall be placed upon department organization, and only 
minor emphasis upon class organization. This is dis- 
cussed at length in a later chapter. The purpose at 
this point is merely to make clear that as a condition 
of success of the Adult Department it is necessary that 
department organization shall be given precedence over 
class organization. As another has pointed out, every 
adult needs to be a member of a group of such a char- 
acter that he can share its life and realize it as group 
life.t Fellowship is the need, and the problem is that 
of providing the kind of group for each that will 
offer genuine fellowship. 

Class groups.—To meet this fundamental need of 
intimate, friendly fellowship it may be necessary, for 
reasons to be pointed out later, to maintain as an in- 
tegral part of each Adult Department one or more or- 
ganized classes whose membership will remain the 
same from year to year. For most of the members 
the department with its frequent departmental meet- 
ings will meet the need of social fellowship. Classes _ 
within the department maintaining a fixed member- 
ship will be the exception, not the rule; the rule will 
be class grouping on the basis of choice of subjects to 
be studied, just as in any other school. 

A new ideal.—The form of organization described 
in this chapter, it will be realized, is very different from 
what many have been accustomed to speak of as the 
Adult Department of the Sunday school, meaning by 
“Sunday school” an institution separately organized 
and in many cases almost wholly detached from the 
iS £Orgarideiny the Church School, Cope, page 71. 

39 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


church. In contrast with this the new ideal is one all- 
inclusive organization of adults in the local church. 
It is not therefore another organization in addition to 
those which. have existed in the past, but, rather, a 
means of bringing together and correlating a miscel- 
laneous group of already existing organizations. It 
offers for the first time a single organization suff- 
ciently broad in its scope to provide for meeting all the 
religious needs of the adult members of the church 
and its constituency so far as it is possible for the 
church to meet all religious needs, exclusive only of 
the public service of worship and such other services 
as are maintained by the church for its entire member- 
ship—children, young people, and adults. 

The question inevitably arises: What about these 
already existing organizations? They already occupy 
the field. Though they may seriously overlap in func- 
tion, and considerable friction may exist, each has its 
devoted friends and advocates, some of whom are 
unable to see otherwise than that any attempt to do 
away with their particular piece of traditional machin- 
ery 1s a serious offense. There is in most cases only 
one thing to do: present the ideal of an Adult De- 
partment of the church that shall include within its 
scope all existing organizations, as well as provision 
for meeting all unmet needs, and seek as rapidly as 
possible so to modify the form of existing organizations 
and to correlate their activities as to make them com- 
plemental, not conflicting or competing. The adult 
church, organized as an adult school of religion (under 
the name of the Adult Department), thus becomes the 
one inclusive adult organization within which an at- 

40 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


tempt may be made to correlate the work of all other 
existing adult organizations. 


PROCEDURE OF ORGANIZATION 


lf this ideal of an Adult Department commends 
itself to the judgment of the responsible leaders of 
the church, the question naturally arises, how may it 
be made effective? 

Secure the approval of leaders.—In every church 
there are key men and women whose approval and co- 
operation are essential to the success of any church 
organization. If the Adult Department is perma- 
nently to prosper, it must first be “sold” to these lead- 
ers of the church. It is of first importance, therefore, 
that they shall be consulted, and, if possible, their 
hearty approval secured. Let the whole situation af- 
fecting the adult work of church and school be dis- 
cussed with these leaders, one by one, or in an informal 
meeting, as may seem best. Let time be taken for a 
full consideration of all the factors affecting the work 
for adults in and through the Sunday school. There 
should be no attempt to force the issue or to lead these 
men and women to think that anyone is attempting to 
“put something over on them.’”’ Ask questions and en- 
courage the asking of questions by others. Bring out 
the facts they have themselves observed and call at- 
tention to unobserved particulars. Point out the gaps 
and the elements of overlapping in the adult work as 
it is being carried on. State the matter positively, not 
negatively. That is, do not emphasize the fact that 
organization of an Adult Department may undermine 
class organization. 

41 9 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


When the support of a small group of leaders has 
been assured, increase the number by calling in a few 
others. Enlist, in selling the project to others, those 
who catch the vision of what an Adult Department 
may be made to mean in service to individuals, to the 
Church School, and to the entire membership and con- 
stituency of the church. 

Present the plan to the entire group of adults.— 
When this preliminary work has, been well done, ar- 
range for a joint meeting of all the adult classes and 
other adult organizations of the church, including the 
officers and visitors of the Home Department, to- 
gether with the pastor and the officers of the school. 
Let the whole situation be clearly, definitely, and fully 
laid before those present. Make certain in advance 
that all the data shall be presented, including: (1) num- 
ber of organized and unorganized classes; (2) number 
of other organizations for adults; (3) total member- 
ship of each; (4) the facts concerning the members of 
each group, such as range of age, professions, lines of 
business and employment, etc.; (5) the total adult 
constituency of the church as compared with the total 
membership of all of these groups; (6) social, indus- 
trial, and racial groups not reached by any adult or- 
ganization, and (7) available lines of study for adults 
not being utilized by any adult organization. Present 
these various facts in as striking and effective ways 
as possible. Use the blackboard, charts, and printed 
leaflets. Show that the gaps and unoccupied fields 
are due not so much to negligence on the part of the or- 
ganized classes as to defects in the plan of adult or- 
ganization. Do not depend on one speaker alone, but 

42 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


have brief talks by three or four of those who have 
caught the vision of the possible value of the Adult 
Department. Open the meeting for full and free dis- 
cussion. When it is evident that the question has been 
thoroughly discussed, consider whether the time is ripe 
for the matter to be put to a vote, or whether other 
meetings are necessary. If a tentative vote is taken 
and is negative, do not be discouraged, but begin to 
plan for a further campaign of education. If the de- 
cision is favorable, arrange for the election of a strong 
committee on constitution and nomination of officers 
and committees. The method of further procedure 
will be simple and clear. 


For Grour Discussion 


1, Why is it necessary for any organized social 
eroup, in order to do its work, to have certain officers 
or executives ? 

2. What are the chief determining factors in decid- 
ng how many officers a department requires? 

3. What distinctive field exists in a church for an 
adult-work council? 

4. What are the merits, respectively, of standing and 
special committees? 

5. What conditions do you consider essential to the 
success of the type of Adult Department described 
thus far in this book? 


For WRITTEN WorK 


1. Make a list of all of the officers of your church 
whose duties pertain exclusively or chiefly to work 
with adults. How were the number of these officers 
ind their designation determined? 

2. State specifically just what each of these officers 
lJoes in discharging the functions of his office. 


43 


THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


3. What group plans the adult work of the church? 

4. What committees are responsible for carrying 
out the program of adult work? 

5. If the educational work of the church is planned 
by some one person or by one person in informal con- 
ference with a few others, why is this procedure used? 


CHAPTER III 
VALUES OF DEPARTMENT ORGANIZATION 


In many churches the Adult Department exists in 
name; but in the majority of cases, as yet, it is in 
name only. Either the tradition of a “main school’ or 
interest in organizing and building up separate, uncor- 
related organized classes dominates the situation. 
Class organization has commended itself as a most 
successful method of recruiting adults for Sunday- 
school membership. The leaders in adult work in 
local churches have been so engaged in promoting the 
organization of classes and in making organization 
effective in class growth and activity that consideration 
has not been given to the larger aspects of the adult 
work of the school. Our discussion has placed the 
emphasis not upon class organization but upon Adult 
Department organization. The whole situation affect- 
ing the educational work of the church compels the re- 
thinking of the problem of adult organization in terms 
of the entire group of adults. The functional ap- 
proach has determined a suggested form of organ- 
ization. Are there additional reasons, beyond those 
already discussed, which justify this predominant em- 
phasis upon department organization? 


ADDITIONAL REASONS FOR DEPARTMENT ORGANIZATION 


The segregation of adults.—Departmental organ- 
ization, begun in the elementary grades, has been so 
45 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


effective in improving the technique of religious edu- 
cation that it has been carried forward into the sec- 
ondary departments. Separate intermediate, senior, 
and young people’s departments, or, at least, teen-age 


or high-school departments, including both interme- — 


diate and senior pupils, have been organized in many 


of the larger schools and in the next few years will be — 


formed in many more. This leaves the work for adults 
alone lacking departmental organization. That which 
is proving itself so effective a means of increasing 
school efficiency for the younger age groups certainly 
has in it much of promise for the work with adults. 

The need for unity.—The organization of an 


Adult Department serves to unify the adult work of | 


both church and school. Many churches have no in- 
clusive organization for all the adults of the church 
and congregation. The young people have their Young 
People’s Department or Young People’s Society, with 
its development of a desirable group consciousness and 


its various provisions for meeting group needs; but the © 
adults have no corresponding group organization. The | 
social and recreational needs of many are entirely un- | 
provided for. Many are enlisted in no form of Chris- | 


tian service. The adult membership of the church is 
simply an ineffective, unorganized aggregation of, in- 


dividuals. The Adult Department may be made the — 
inclusive organization required to meet adult needs and © 


to utilize adult resources. 
The separateness, the aloofness, and the rather. 


selfish independence which now characterize many © 


adult classes may be overcome by grouping together all” 


of the adult classes into an organized department. — 
46 4 








OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


Certain activities, not necessarily all, carried on by the 
department as a whole, instead of by the various classes 
separately, bring all of the adults of the school closer 
together by emphasizing their common interests. | 

_ A department organization makes it practical to sur- 
vey in a broad way the full possibilities of Sunday- 
_ school work for adults and to plan comprehensively 
_ for realizing them. 

In some schools the serious mistake is made of 
large adult classes meeting separately, thus pav- 
_ ing the way for their absolute divorce from the school. 
Such classes are likely, sooner or later, to become more 
of a problem to the school than a help. If the school 
in which one or more classes make a demand for this 
privilege would organize an Adult Department, with 
provision for a separate adult assembly, it would 
thereby take a long step toward strengthening its work, 
and that without any accompanying risk. Adult in- 
terests and needs demand an adult assembly quite as 
much as do those, for example, of young people. But 
the assembly should include all the adults of the school 
instead of setting off one large class by itself. The 
latter plan fosters the factional, divisive spirit. An 
Adult Department well organized, meeting separately, 
makes possible an adult school of religion and meets 
a real need. 

Educational grouping.—If genuine and really ef- 
ficient teaching is to be carried on in the Church 
School, conditions must be created that make it 
possible. Such conditions, as has already been pointed 
out, are not usually present. Because of the prom- 
inence given to class organization and upbuilding the 

47 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


adult school has grown almost entirely by class in- 
crease. The one adult class or the several adult classes 
have made one chief effort—namely, to increase the 
class membership. As a result a large number of peo- 


ple of wide diversity in age, interests, and intellectual | 


ability are brought together. In many cases the class 
lacks homogeneity. Much more effective work could 


be done in every way if the large class were divided — 


into two or three groups, the members of each of which 
would have interests and needs in common. This can 
be effected only through an Adult Department. 

Some writers argue that it is undesirable to break 


} 


up the large adult class into smaller study groups be- — 
cause of the socializing values growing out of a large, — 


miscellaneous company of adults meeting together. 
They would place first in value the service rendered 
by the class in stimulating Christian social attitudes. 
To them the adult-class session is first of all a social 
meeting place. For example, one teacher writes: “The 
190 men in our class all meet on one common level. 
The rich, the poor, the learned, and the unlearned are 
all brothers alike.” It is for this very reason, among 
others, that the largest possible adult group—the de- 
partment—should be made the unit of organization. 
Not merely those who are in the big class but all the 
men and women of all the classes should be brought to- 
gether into the one common departmental group in 
order that socializing influences shall have the largest 
scope within which to work. The Christian Church is 
the most successful institution that has ever existed 
for the breaking down of barriers of race and caste 
and artificial distinctions among adults. When the 
48 


oe 





OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


_rich and the poor actually meet together in the 


‘consciousness of a common Lord for worship and the 


me 


discussion of life problems in the light of the gospel, a 


situation is created which is most potent for the 
development of Christian social attitudes. 
An educational program.—A properly organized 


_ Adult Department can plan a comprehensive educa- 
tional program that will make provision for the in- 


structional needs of all the adults in the constituency 


of the church. Such a program can never be devel- 
oped by a Church School that has only two or three 
large classes or several miscellaneous organized groups 
with a fixed membership. What such a program 
: should be I discuss elsewhere.1 Here it will be suf- 
ficient to cite a case in point. Ina certain college town 
-a nucleus of men came together to organize a Bible 


class. The group included a college president, a law- 
yer, a physician, the president of a bank, a carpenter, 
a blacksmith, a farmer, a bookkeeper, a dry goods 


salesman, and a town official. They selected officers 
and committees, procured a charter, and went to work 


in earnest. Through the effective use of organization 
methods the class was built up within a year to a mem- 
bership of more than one hundred men. Practically 
every masculine element in the community was rep- 
resented. For a time the class continued to grow in 
interest and numbers and then, following a change of 
policy, began to decline and finally was disbanded. 
The cause of failure was not apparent to everyone, 
but by the more discerning was clearly perceived. In 
the beginning, seemingly by general consent, the uni- 


1See Chapter VII; also Adult Religious Education, Barclay, Chapter VI. 


49 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


form lessons were used. Later several of the better 
educated members objected to these lessons on the 
ground that they were fragmentary, unscientific in 
arrangement, and lacking in the variety needed in a 
comprehensive program of adult religious education. 
Several of these men, including two college profes- 
sors, were appointed a committee on course of study. 
They outlined a program beginning with a special 
course on the social aspects of Christianity. While 
this course proved to be very popular with a minor- 
ity of the class, others were dissatisfied. It was so 
great a contrast to what they had been accustomed to 
think of as Bible study that they were much dis- 
pleased. There was no formal protest, but the feeling 
of dissatisfaction increased, the morale of the class 
was broken, and attendance rapidly fell off. 

This catastrophe might have been avoided by the 
organization of an Adult Department. The president 
of the class, possessed of fine executive ability, could 
have served fully as well as superintendent of the de- 
partment. So with all the other officers and commit- 
tees of the class. With a department instead of a class 
the men who felt that their needs would be better 
served by the special course in social interpretation 
might have studied it; those who preferred the uniform 
lessons might have continued their use; while others, 
desiring to study Christian missions, church history, 
or any other appropriate subject might have had their 
desire gratified. 

When the Adult Department includes within its 
membership a large number of adults, it is necessary, 
if an effective program of religious education is to be 

50 





OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


maintained, for a variety of courses suited to the in- 
terests and needs of various homogeneous groups to 
be offered. A brief service of worship in which all 
participate and common programs of social and serv- 
ice activities unite all of the various study groups in 
a single department. 

A ministry to the entire adult constituency.—A 
well-organized Adult Department enables the church 
to fulfill its ministry to its whole constituency. There 
are many people in every parish who cannot be en- 
rolled as attending members of organized classes. To 
minister to these it has been common in recent years 
to supplement the work of the organized adult classes 
either by a Home Department, which has usually 
meant. a department ministering exclusively, to the 
home-bound, or by extension classes—that is, home- 
study groups affiliated with organized classes. The 
plan of extension classes is not satisfactory because of 
the inevitable lack of coordination and the possible 
competition and overlapping which result from the at- 
tempts of two or more classes to organize extension 
groups appealing to all the adults in the possible con- 
stituency of the church. But just such an ambitious 
program as this is what an Adult Department should 
be encouraged to undertake. 

A similar objection holds against the Home Depart- 
ment. It does not provide for the correlation and co- 
ordination of all the work for adults, nor is it suf- 
ficiently broad in its scope. There are many to whom 
the Church School should minister besides old people 
and invalids. No adults need the ministry of the 
Church School more than parents, especially mothers 

| 5I 





ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


of young children whose home cares prevent their 
attendance upon the Sunday sessions. An Adult De- 
partment, if well. planned, may include within its 
scope the entire adult constituency of the church. 

Surely all observing people who believe in the mis- 
sion of the church must realize the urgent need of in- 
strumentalities more effective in reaching the masses 
than any now in use. The churches to-day are not 
touching at all a large proportion of the population. 
Conditions are developing like those which preceded 
the evangelical revival of the latter part of the eigh- 
teenth century in England. The populace is increas- 
ingly indifferent to the church, whose authority has dis- 
appeared, and whose services fail to attract a large 
proportion of the adult population. The methods of 
evangelism which were successful twenty-five to forty 
years ago are/no longer effective. Some new method 
is needed, some new agency required. The only 
method that promises to cope with the situation is re- 
ligious education; one of the most promising agencies 
in possible contribution to a solution, the Adult De- 
partment of the church. 


GOVERNING PRINCIPLES 


A minimum of machinery.—lIt is altogether possi- 
ble for the church to be overorganized. In fact, this 
is not merely a theoretical danger. Many churches 
have added organization to organization apparently 
on the principle that the larger the number of organ- 
izations the greater the efficiency, until they have such 
a multiplicity of uncorrelated organizations and such 
complexity of organization that their efficiency is se- 

52 





| 
. 
; 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


riously impaired thereby. In many instances the pres- 
ent need is not so much more organization as simpli- 
fied organization and fewer organizations. Some years 
ago the Sunday School Council of Evangelical Denom- 
inations approved the principle of one “inclusive or- 
ganization for each age group in the church.” This 
principle should be applied in the case of the adult 
group, just as many leaders are urging its application 
in the case of the young people’s group. The insist- 
ence upon correlation, including elimination of super- 
fluous and overlapping organizations, has been chiefly 
voiced by leaders in religious education who are at the 
same time specialists in the work of the Church School. 
For the sake of consistency it is important that the 
Church School, asking as it does for the elimination of 
superfluous organization, shall set an example by 
standing for the minimum of organization for the 
maximum aim. 

In contrast with the foregoing principle considerable 
prominence has been given in recent years to a scheme 
of organization which involves an organized Adult 
Division, under which are grouped several depart- 
ments, including a Home Department and a Par- 
ents’ Department, and numerous organized classes, 
each class being regarded as coordinate with the sev- 
eral departments of the division. This cannot ulti- 
mately be regarded otherwise than as an awkward 
and impracticable scheme. So far as is known it has 
not been carried out successfully in any Church 
School. Such a so-called Adult Division cannot reas- 
onably be expected to be adopted as an administrative 
unit. The plan is too cumbersome and topheavy. 

53 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


Too much machinery is involved. To attempt to carry 
the plan into effect would provide a maximum of or- 
ganization with a minimum of efficiency. It is en- 
tirely possible and at the same time simpler, easier, 
and more practical to do all that is comprehended by 
these various organizations through a single, unified 
Adult Department. 

There is no good reason, for example, for a separate 
Parents’ Department. Because some people are par- 
ents and may profit through the study of specially 
prepared parents’ courses is not a sufficient reason 
why a special department of the Church School should 
be constituted for them. Courses should be offered 
for which chiefly parents en.oll, but these classes 
should be parallel with numerous other study groups, 
each composed of persons who have common inter- 
ests and needs. Again, the objectives of the Home 
Department can be attained more fully through a 
number of home-study classes than in any other way. 
Because some adults cannot attend the sessions of the 
school in the church building is no reason why they 
should be set off by themselves in a separate admin- 
istrative group. Home-study classes are properly a 
part of the Adult Department. Every reason in be- 
half of providing a variety of courses for the adults 
in attendance upon the school holds in behalf of mak- 
ing the same provision for adults who cannot attend 
the sessions. A uniform lesson is quite as inadequate 
for adults studying in the home as for adults attend- 
ing the school. 

Sufficiently broad in scope.—As a corollary of 
the foregoing it should be stated that the Adult De- 

54 





OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


partment should be sufficiently broad in scope to in- 
clude ministry to all adults within the possible con- 
stituency of the church. That is, the Adult Depart- 
ment, as an inclusive organization for adults, should 
not overlook any element of the entire adult con- 
stituency of the church. Through variety of plan it 
should seek to meet the needs of all. The Adult De- 
partment can do this as no other adult organization. 
The aim of the organized men’s class in many instances 
has been that of seeking to draw all of the men of the 
community into the class. The motive is commend- 
able, but the undertaking invalidates the larger edu- 
cational service of the class to its members. The class, 
as a study group, should be homogeneous in interests 
and needs. Just to the extent that the class succeeds 
in drawing members from all elements of the adult 
community it makes impossible the meeting of the 
educational needs of all. What the big class cannot do 
the Adult Department is fitted to do. 

A complete ministry—The Adult Department 
should seek to provide for all the religious needs of 
adults. In its form of organization cognizance should 


be taken of the fact that religious education involves 


much more than instruction. Men and women have 
social and recreational needs quite as insistent and as 
important as their need for study and instruction. If 
they are to develop in the Christian life, it is necessary 
that they shall be enlisted in active service for others. 
Nor have adults, particularly those in early and middle 
life, passed beyond the period when physical exercise 
and recreation have moral and religious significance. 
If the adult is to develop a fully rounded out Christian 
55 


THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


character, it must be recognized that he has a fourfold 
life, and for each aspect of his life it is important that 
the Adult Department shall make provision. 


For Group Discussion 


1. What are some of the most important advantages 
of an Adult Department of the church? 

2. How important is it that the adult work of the 
Church School should be unified? 

3. What form of organization promises most in so- 
cializing influence? , 
4. What is the importance, in the religious education 

of adults, of a real program of study? 
5. What principles of organization are essential to 
the development of an efficient Adult Department? 


For WRITTEN WorK 


1. What organization for adults other than organ- 
ized classes do you have in your church and Sunday 
school? | 

2. Do you have an organized Adult Department? 
If so, what is the form of organization? What of- 
ficers does it have? What committees? 

3. Does the Adult Department as such have a pro- 
gram of service activities? 

4. Does the Adult Department as such have a recrea- 
tional and social program? 

5. What has been the effect of departmental organ- 
ization on: (1) the program of educational ministry 
to adults (Has it enlarged this program and has it 
resulted in an enlarged area of adult ministry?) ; (2) 
the enlistment and attendance of adults on the Church 
School session; (3) on service activities; (4) on rec- | 
reational activity? 


56 





CHAPTER IV 
RECRUITING THE MEMBERSHIP 


MEN and women may be enlisted in large numbers 
for membership in the organized Adult Department. 
The success achieved by thousands of organized 
classes in recruiting adults for class membership 1s 
evidence that the Church School has a compelling ap- 
peal. What has been done in enlisting adults in or- 
ganized adult classes can be done in recruiting large 
numbers of men and women for the Adult Depart- 
ment. 


THE UNREACHED MULTITUDES 


Fundamental needs of people-——Vast numbers of 
people are unreached by the church. They need what 
the Church School can do for them. They would be 
better men and women—better citizens, better neigh- 
bors, better fathers and mothers—happier, and of more 
service to the world within the church than outside 
of it. To many of them Christ is a stranger, fellow- 
ship with him unrealized, the principles and ideals of 
his teaching unknown. They need Christ as Coun- 
selor and Friend and Saviour. 

The church needs these people—The church, as 
the one chief agency for bringing in the kingdom of 
God, needs these unreached multitudes. It cannot ful- 
fill its mission without them. Unless they are won 
to Christ’s Way of life, America cannot be made fully 

57 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


Christian, nor the world evangelized. It is not enough 
to recruit children for membership in the church and 
Church School. Unless the parents also are won, the 
home made Christian, and its cooperation secured, the 
influence of church and school in the lives of the 
children is largely neutralized. It is our Christian 
duty to win these multitudes of unevangelized adults 
to loyalty to Christ and the church. 

Organization as a means of evangelism.—The 
Adult Department, if rightly organized and admin- 
istered, may be made a most effective agency of win- 
ning men and women. Let plans therefore be made 
for aggressive recruiting. If every Christian Church 
might become imbued with the spirit that has charac- 
terized the organized adult classes whose success in 
recruiting large membership is everywhere known, 
each in its own way and according to the opportunity 
offered within its field using the same methods, evan- 
gelical Protestantism would see the greatest ingath- 
ering the church has ever known. 


IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS 


Variety of method.—Perhaps the most striking fact 
that appears from accounts of methods used in re- 
cruiting the membership of organized classes is the 
diversity and variety of the methods employed. Some 
classes that have built up a large membership have 
used contests; others, equally successful, have repudi- 
ated the contest method. Some attribute their suc- 
cess to the activity of committees; others have de- 
pended on superior teaching. In some cases a few 
officers were chiefly responsible for recruiting efforts; 

58 | 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


in others the motto was “All at it all the time.” But 
the point is that many different methods have been 
‘used with success. The conclusion is obvious both with 
regard to building up the organized class and the de- 
partment—there is no one method successful above 
all others. The essentials are moral earnestness, con- 
viction of the value of church and school and the 
things for which they stand, and tactful, aggressive, 
persistent effort. A method that has proved highly 
successful in one situation may not be adapted to an- 
other. Where one method is used and fails, others 
should be tried. 

Spirit and purpose.—The point is that it is not so 
much the method as the spirit and purpose that count. 
Any method is good which works and is well worked. 
But no method will work, no matter how successful it 
has been reputed to be, if the spirit and purpose are 
lacking. The men and women are there—in every 
community—and there is some method to which they 
will respond; but to secure the response the method 
must have back of it intense conviction, enthusiasm, 
genuine friendliness, and persistence. Any church 
that really wants more men and women in its Adult 
Department, whose workers have these qualities, may 
have them. 

Know the field.—A primary essential for any thor- 
ough campaign of recruiting is a community survey. 
In recent years the survey has become standardized 
both as a method of obtaining complete information 
concerning a community and as an instrument for 
measuring the effectiveness of institutions and pol- 
icies and in securing their improvement. Full informa- 

59 





ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


tion concerning the survey as a method of obtaining 
information is readily available, and it is unnecessary 
here to supply details. 

In many communities it would be possible for a 
survey to be made under interchurch or federation 
auspices, the data secured to be made available to all 
participating churches. By distribution of respon- 
sibility unnecessary overlapping and unchristian com- 
petition may be avoided. If local conditions make an 
interdenominational survey impracticable (which is 
the case far less often than is popularly believed), the 
undertaking is not impossible for a single church. The 
leaders of the church should organize for the task and 
secure data not only concerning adults not enrolled 
in any Church School but also concerning persons of 
all ages, the complete data to be distributed to all of 
the various departments. 

Use the information——A survey is of no value 
unless its data are used. It has sometimes happened, 
strange as it may seem, that a valuable survey has been 
made at considerable expense of time and effort, and 
the results permitted to remain unused. It is neces- 
sary not only to organize to make a survey but also 
to organize to make the fullest possible use of the 
information secured. If a standard survey is made, 
the information acquired will be wide and varied in 
scope. An important part will concern those who are 
not enrolled as members of any Adult Department. 
With this list in hand it is the responsibility of the 





1One of several available books containing suggestions, ays, sample 
schedules, is The Community Survey in Relation to Church Micteney, by 
Charles E. Carroll. For information on social and religious sp in sig gd Se 
Communities, see Surveying Your Community, by Edmund deS. Brunner. 


60 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


officers of the department to plan definitely for enlist. 
ing as many as can possibly be reached. There are 
various ways that it may be used. 


PLans THat Have WORKED 


Membership campaign.—This plan has been suc- 
cessfully used in many cases, the details varying. In 
one instance committees were appointed as follows: 
campaign, executive, meetings, publicity, prospects, 
and finance. A man who had genius as an organizer 
was chosen campaign manager and another as pub- 
licity manager. A list of 250 prospects was procured. 
Then the men got busy. The publicity committee was 
particularly active. It devised a form letter and a 
class prospectus, together with reply cards for two 
banquets. Seventy-five and eighty men respectively 
attended these banquets, each paying seventy-five cents 
a plate. 

The men were then ready to select captains and 
choose teammates for an intensive membership cam- 
paign. After organization for this purpose had been 
effected, the men separated to call on prospects. Meet- 
ings were scheduled for Tuesday, Wednesday, Thurs- 
day, and Friday of the following week. At these meet- 
ings the campaigners were to report. Wednesday 
the reports followed prayer meeting, but on the other 
three evenings the members of the various teams took 
lunch at the church at six-thirty o’clock, afterward 
reporting on their prospects. These lunches were 
served by the young women of the church at cost, ap- 
proximately fifty cents. The meetings were inval- 
uable in keeping up enthusiasm and in helping the 

61 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


members to work together for their goal, 250 new 
members for the Adult Department. 

Enrolling the adult congregation.—In some cases, 
by skillful efforts, pastors have succeeded in enrolling 
practically the entire adult congregation as members 
of the Adult Department. In a particular instance a 
pastor in whose church a small Adult Department had 
been organized held before the congregation for a 
number of Sundays in succession the ideal of a de- 
partment in which the entire congregation should be 
enrolled. In cooperation with the Adult Council a 
comprehensive program of study was planned, includ- 
ing a wide variety of courses. When general inter- 
est had been awakened in the project, the pastor 
preached on Sunday morning on “Study to show thy- 
self approved unto God,” presenting the printed sched- 
ule and appealing to all present to enroll themselves 
as members and indicate choice of a course of study. 
More than three fourths of all present enrolled, and 
the membership of the department was increased in 
a single day by almost two hundred. While not all 
continued faithful, the permanent interest and at- 
tendance of the department were very largely in- 
creased. 

The group plan.—This plan involves dividing the 
members of the department into groups of seven, 
eight, or ten members. Geographical groups are best 
as a rule, although it is wise in some situations to make 
use of groups arranged on the basis of social, indus- 
trial, or professional interests. Group leaders should 
be wisely selected. The goal to be attained and the 
time within which it is to be reached should then be 

62 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


lecided. If it is decided to fix the goal at eighty per- 
;ons to be won, and there are ten groups of seven each, 
t will be necessary for each group to win eight new 
nembers, increasing each group to fifteen. Each group 
nay be left free to decide on the ways and means to 
ye used in recruiting but committed to continuing an 
ntensive campaign until the goal is reached. As each 
rroup attains its objective, the group number, with 
he name of the leader and the names of the new 
nembers, should be posted on a bulletin board pro- 
vided for the purpose. When all the groups have 
ittained their goals, a fellowship supper or some other 
ippropriate celebration should be held. 

The follow-up.—Many organized classes have suc- 
cessfully used a follow-up plan in winning new mem- 
yers. The plan may be used by the Adult Department 
vith equal effectiveness. On Sunday, for each pros- 
yective member reported, the committee on member- 
ship assigns one member to call on Monday, another 
yn Tuesday, a third on Wednesday, and so on for each 
lay of the week, including the next Sunday. The 
‘ollowing week a report is called for. If the persons 
called on have not expressed a purpose to come into 
inembership, assignments are again made and continue 
o be made until they have joined the department. If 
‘aithfully worked this plan seldom fails. Said one 
nan: “If you keep after others as you kept after me, 
rou are bound to win. I felt it must be worth while to 
ye a member if so many men thought it worth their 
rouble to call and invite me.” Another said, “I de- 
ided you fellows must really be interested in me, you 
‘ame so often.” 

63. 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


it? 
; 
' 
i 


Persistent publicity—Various forms of publicity, — 
stich as news items, paid advertisements, posters, bul-— 
letin boards, letters, postal cards, and special devices, 
may be effectively utilized in a membership campaign. 
The following plan was used by a department that be-_ 
gan with fourteen members: The group compiled a ~ 
preliminary mailing list of prospects to whom letters — 
and advertising were to be sent each week. They were © 
also to be visited and personally invited to become — 


members. At the end of the second month there were 


fifty-eight new members. The end of three months | 
saw 140 new recruits. New features of advertising © 


were introduced into the campaign from time to time. — 


Six months’ effort resulted in 228 new members. 


“Every one win one.”—This is a simple plan that 
has often worked well. It has the advantage of divid-_ 


ing responsibility for increasing the membership evenly 


among all of the members of the department. The 


idea is to double the membership by asking each mem- 
ber to procure one new member. The motto “Each 
one win one” may be featured in various ways. The 
plan should be discussed until the cooperation of all 
the members has been secured. Weekly reports should 


be arranged for, and the campaign continued until the 


goal has been achieved. 

Membership contest.—Perhaps no method of in- 
creasing membership of organized adult classes has 
been more often used than the contest method. It is 
equally applicable to Adult Department increase. The 
most common plan has been to divide the group into 
two, three, or four sections of equal number, each 
with a captain, and enter upon a contest to see which 

64 





OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


section can win the largest number of members within 
a given time, the losing section or sections to pay a 
forfeit, such as giving a banquet to the winners. Each 
section may be designated by a color—the Whites, the 
Blues, the Reds—and may have other distinctive 1n- 
signia. The captains of the sections, if wisely chosen 
for aggressiveness and ability in leadership, will be 
able to develop much interest in the competition 
among their fellows. 

What has been said should not be understood as an 
expression of approval of the contest method of re- 
cruiting new members. In spite of the fact that the 
method has been often used with apparent success 
there are serious objections to its use. Invariably its 
chief appeal, whether or not consciously planned, is 
to the motive of competition. The appeal is therefore 
to an artificial motive of rather a low order which 
cannot be permanently used. The interest developed 
is principally im competition per se and to make it 
carry over to the work of the department and the ob- 
jectives for which it stands is very difficult. If people 
who come into the department because of their inter- 
§ est in a contest could be depended upon to remain until 
more vital interests are developed, the method might 
be approved, but in most cases their attendance is only 
for the period of the contest, or two or three additional 
Sundays at most, after which they are harder to reach 
than before. Besides this objection there is another 
equally weighty. Competitive methods often stimulate 
unchristian attitudes of far-reaching social conse- 
quences. 

Need for caution.—Enthusiasm for the recruiting 

65 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


of members, necessary as it is, should be tempered with 
wisdom. Sometimes when other than the contest 
method has been used wrong motives have been ap- 
pealed to, and jealousy and hard feelings engendered. 
People have been urged to attend for a single session, 
‘being told that they would not be expected to come 
again; members of other churches have been impor- 
tuned to lend their names; strangers have been im- 
ported from near-by towns and enrolled; brass bands 
and other spectacular methods have been utilized to 
create a superficial enthusiasm among those who could 


not otherwise be interested, and other questionable | 


measures invoked. In some few cases the kind of dis- 
honest methods, chicanery, and deceit that have char- 
acterized ward politics at their worst have been em- 
ployed under the guise of “Christian” work. All this 
cannot be too strongly condemned. Such practices re- 


act to the permanent injury of the church and should | 


never be resorted to under any circumstance. 


Tt is to be recognized that the tendency in a drive or 


temporary campaign of any sort is to work up a merely 
‘temporary enthusiasm that soon passes and _ leaves, 


~when it passes, a dullness and torpor that are almost 


impossible to overcome. It may be set down almost 
-as an axiom that any method that does not appeal to a 
‘high and worthy motive is not likely to produce per- 


manent results. Those methods which contribute to. 


steady, persistent growth, and which secure recognition - 


of the Adult Department on the part of the religious 
<ommunity as an institution that stands for the best 
things in the religious life, should be most highly 
regarded. 

66 


| 
| 


\ 
, 











OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


MAINTAINING THE DEPARTMENT 


The permanent building up of the Adult Department 
depends quite as much on maintaining interest and 
attendance as upon the recruiting of new members. 
It avails little to enlist new members from time to 
time unless those who come into membership remain 
as a permanent part of the department. 

Genuine interest——Before an attempt is made to 
recruit new members in considerable numbers, it is 
important that there shall be a nucleus of persons who 
are genuinely interested in religious education. Noth- 
ing is gained by electing officers and appointing com- 
mittees merely for the sake of being able to announce 
an organized department. It is not necessary to have 
many to begin with. Five to eight persons with clearly 
defined purpose, with a clear vision of the objectives 
of an organized Adult Department, possessed of gen- 
uine spiritual enthusiasm, with energy and persistence, 
are all that are required for a beginning. It is better 
to begin with a few persons who are imbued with the 
right spirit and who have a clear understanding of the 
ideals and principles involved in Adult Department or- 
ganization and administration than to start with a loose 
aggregation of many people whose superficial en- 
thusiasm will pass when the first difficulties are en- 
countered. 

A Christian spirit—Again, if a really successful 
Adult Department is to be built up, those responsible 
for its organization must possess a true Christian 
spirit. Petty social distinctions must be lost sight of. 
Genuine brotherliness must prevail. Men and women, 

67 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


without regard to occupation, wealth or the lack of it, 
education, social standing, or dress, must realize on 
coming into the department that they are welcome, | 
that their presence is appreciated and desired. Fel-_ 
lowship must be cultivated. No stranger should be 
permitted to leave the department session without a 
hearty invitation to return. At least five minutes at _ 
the close of the hour should be reserved for friendly 
social greetings. 

- Religious life.—The religious life of the leaders of 
the department must be real, earnest, and genuine. 
Affectation, pious cant, or sham religiousness has no 
place in an Adult Department. It should be under- 
stood by all that the department is a religious organ- 
ization, and that religion and the religious life occupy 
first place in all aims and plans. Such an atmosphere 
must be maintained in all sessions of the department 
that conversation on religious themes and an expression 
of the religious life will be perfectly in place. Nothing 
else will take the place, and few things will exert the 
drawing power of religious warmth and earnestness. 
Our greatest aim—‘to win men to Christ’—must ever 
be kept in the forefront. 

Personal interest in each member.—The leaders 
of the department should possess a genuine personal 
interest in every member. If people are to be per- 
manently won to the department, they must be made 
to realize that the leaders are sincerely interested in 
their welfare. Nothing else is so effective in winning 
people as personal regard. This was the Master’s 
method, and it has never been either improved upon 
or superseded. Perhaps it is best expressed by the 

68 





OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


term “friendship.” Let a bond of genuine friendship 
be established between an officer representing the de- 
partment and the new member, and he is won for all 
time. A member should never be permitted to carry 
a burden of loss or grief or disappointment alone. An 
illness of a member, no matter how slight, should 
_ always be taken account of. All cases of illness should 
be reported at the department sessions. Immediately 
_ thereafter some such message as this should be sent: 


DEAR FRIEND: You have been reported to the de- 

_ partment at its session to-day as ill. Some of our 
number will call very soon. You have the sympathy 
and prayers of the department for your early recovery. 


oer eee ee ee wo we wee ee Owe ee ew ew eo ew 


Something for everyone to do.—All the members 
should be kept busy. Everyone should have some def- 
inite task. So far as possible everyone should be on 
some standing or special committee during the year. 
As the department increases in size, care should be 
taken that the officers and committees are representa- 
tive of the entire department. The importance of this 
is well stated by the superintendent of one of our larg- 
est departments: “An Adult Department is made up 
of many small groups. The units of each group are 
welded together by ties of friendship or relationship. 
Each of these groups should be represented among the 
officers and chairmen of committees. Then, when the 
officers inaugurate a new policy or plan, they will carry 
the bulk of the membership along with them.” 

Following up absentees.—It should be a fixed cus- 
tom to inquire into the causes of all absences. While 
both the department officers and the teacher will feel 


69 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


the responsibility of doing this, the task will also de- 
volve upon the departmental committee on member- 
ship, as has been elsewhere suggested. No member 
should ever be absent without being written to, called 
up on the telephone, or called on in person. That this 
may be definitely provided for, the matter should be 
discussed in the adult council or executive committee, 
and an understanding arrived at concerning the loca- 
tion of responsibility. 


For Group DISCUSSION 


1. What are the chief bases of faith that the un- 
churched multitudes may be won to membership in 
the organized Adult Department? 

2. What are to be considered the most important 
considerations in building up the membership of the 
Adult Department? 

3. Under what conditions may a special member- 
ship campaign be deemed advisable? 

4. What are to be regarded as the most generally — 
adaptable methods of recruiting new members? 

5. What is the value of publicity and advertising in 
building up Adult Department membership? 

6. How may the objectionable features associated 
with some of the methods suggested be overcome? 

7. What are some of the most important considera- 
tions in maintaining interest and cooperation among 
new members? 


For WRITTEN WorK 


1. What are the fundamental motives to be appealed 
to in recruiting adults for Adult Department mem- 
bership? 

2. What methods have been most successful, within 
your observation, in winning new members for the 
organized adult class or department? 


70 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


3. If there has not been aggressive, persistent effort 
to win members for the Adult Department or adult 
classes, what is your explanation of this fact? 

4. What has been your observation of the results of 
contest methods in adult recruiting? 

5. How would you describe the prevailing attitudes 
of members of the Adult Department or adult classes 
toward outsiders? 


71 


CHAPTER V 


. THE ORGANIZED ADULT-BIBLE-CLASS 
MOVEMENT 


Our discussion thus far has concerned itself wholly 
with Adult Department organization. We have dis- 
cussed the meaning and worth of organization in re- 
ligious education; the ends to be served by organiza- 
tion and the particular form of organization required 
by these ends; and the most effective means of recruit- 
ing the membership. The ideals presented, it is freely 
recognized, are realized as yet by few departments. 
Instead, as has been stated, in the large majority of 
churches either the tradition of a so-called “main 
school,’ more properly a mass assembly, including all 
members of the school from juniors or intermediates 
to the oldest adults—the grandfathers and grandmoth- 
ers—has prevailed; or, where elementary and second- 
ary departments have been established, interest and ef- 
fort in adult work have been confined to the organ- 
ization and building up of a number of unrelated adult 
Bible classes. Even where the Adult Department 
exists in name it is as yet, in the majority of cases, 
in name only. Class organization has received almost 
exclusive attention as the means of recruiting adults 
for Sunday-school membership. The general admin- 
istrative agencies, both denominational and interde- 
nominational, up to this time have laid chief stress in 
their adult work upon class organization and have 


72 


THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


zealously promoted the organized adult-Bible-class 
movement. The movement has developed with such 
rapidity that now thousands of Sunday schools have 
from three to six, some even more, organized classes. 
This being the case, it would seem essential that any 
study of organization and administration of adult reli- 
gious education should take cognizance of the organ- 
ized-class movement, evaluate it from the standpoint 
of religious education, and seek to determine what 
place is to be given to class organization and distinctive 
class activities in the future. 


BEGINNINGS OF CLASS ORGANIZATION 


To gain a perspective for the evaluation of the move- 
ment it is important that the beginnings and later de- 
velopment of class organization shall be reviewed. 

In the churches.—There are records of adult Bible 
classes organized as early as 1843. The Judson Bible 
Class of the Baptist Church, Hollidaysburg, Pennsyl- 
vania, for example, was organized May 7, 1843. It 
has had a continuous life as an organized class ever 
since and at the present time (1925) has a member- 
ship in excess of one hundred. There is no special 
reason for thinking that this was the first adult class 
to be organized. Doubtless even earlier than the date 
named there were, here and there, classes that had 
come to appreciate the advantages of organization. 
Gradually the benefits were observed by pastors and 
teachers and quietly the movement for organization 
proceeded. The Manual of Sunday School Work, by 
Edward Eggleston, published in 1869, has a chapter 
on “The Bible Class,” but this contains no suggestion 

73 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


of organization except that of appointing a secretary. 
The complaint is made that the adult class “has no 
definite connection with the school.’ The author con- 
tinues: “It ought to have a roll of its own. Its 
scholars should be registered as members of the school. 
It should occasionally hold a social meeting at the home 
of some member of the class.’”! The lack of a more 
definite statement on class organization would seem 
clearly to indicate that organized adult classes pre- 
vious to this date were not many in number. 

Organization promoted by extrachurch organiza- 
tions.—Somewhat later than the period named certain 
independent organizations were formed for the pur- 
pose of promoting Bible-class organizations. The 
most prominent of these is the Baraca Movement, 
started in 1890 by Marshall A. Hudson, a Baptist lay- 
man of Syracuse, New York. The objective is the 
organization of classes of young men in Sunday 
schools of all denominations. The organized classes 
bear a common name—“Baraca”—and have a common 
form of organization. In 1898 a general overhead 
organization—the Baraca Union—was organized. A 
parallel movement for the organization of classes of 
young women, Philathea classes, was somewhat later 
inaugurated by Mr. Hudson. 

Organization promoted by the International Sun- 
day School Association.—It is difficult to ascertain 
exactly when the International Association first took 
notice of the value of organization for adult classes. 
In 1903 the Cook County Sunday School Association 
elected an adult-Bible-class superintendent and ap- 

1The Manual of Sunday School Work, Edward Eggleston, page 97. 

74 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


pointed a committee to cooperate with him in the pro- 
motion of class organization. In May of the same year 
the subject was presented at the convention of the 
Illinois Sunday School Association. In the same year 
also the New York Association made provision for a 
superintendent of adult-Bible-class work and a few 
months later appointed a committee to recommend 
plans of promotion. The convention of the following 
year approved the plans and organized the Adult Bible 
Class Federation for the State. 


DEVELOPMENT OF THE ORGANIZED-CLass MoveMENT 


Promotion by the International and State asso- 
ciations.— With this beginning impetus in class organ- 
ization was rapidly gained. Within the next two years 
many classes were organized in different parts of the 
country, and various Sunday-school associations took 
cognizance of the new movement. This brought the 
subject prominently before the eleventh convention of 
the International Sunday School Association, held at 
Toronto in 1905, which adopted a resolution providing 
for the appointment of an Adult Department com- 
mittee. The following year the executive com- 
mittee formally called into existence the Adult Depart- 
ment and urged all Sunday-school associations under 
its jurisdiction to do the same. The executive commit- 
tee authorized as the official emblem the little red but- 
ton with the white center. In January, 1907, an 
Adult Department superintendent on full time was 
appointed. Provision was made for a certificate of 
recognition to be issued, on application, to adult Bible 
classes attaining a certain standard of organization. 

75 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


Under the auspices of the churches.—In 1907 the 
Methodist Episcopal Church took official cognizance 
of the organized-class movement by entering into an 
agreement with the International Association whereby 
denominational recognition was given to organized 
classes in Methodist Sunday schools. At the Chicago 
conference, May 14, 1909, the question was raised by 
representatives of certain denominational boards as to 
where authority properly resided for the recognition 
of organized classes. The conference agreed that this 
authority properly resided in the denominational board, 
and as a result arrangements were perfected whereby 
all organized classes of denominations so desiring 
might receive the joint certificate of the denomina- 
tional board and International Sunday School Asso- 
ciation, the joint certificate to be issued by the denom- 
inational board. Meanwhile a number of the evan- 
gelical churches had perfected plans for the aggressive 
denominational promotion of class organization. The 
Wesley Adult Bible Class Department was created by 
the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church, South, in rgto. 

Growth of organization.—From these beginnings 
the adult-Bible-class movement has had a remarkably 
rapid growth. Complete statistics have never been 
available. 


BENEFICIAL RESULTS OF CLASS ORGANIZATION? 


Organization has promoted class growth.—Class 
organization has proved to be an exceedingly success- 


1A full discussion of the values of class organization and of methods of 
organized class work may be found in The Adult Worker and Work, Methods 
of Organized Adult Class Work, Barclay and Phifer. 


76 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


ful method of enlisting men and women for Sunday- 
school membership. Probably there has never been 
any other movement in the life of the evangelical 
churches which has brought men and women in such 
numbers into relation both with the Sunday school and 
the church. Organization provides the means by 
which earnest people may readily enlist others in the 
activities for which the class stands. In many cases 
Bible classes that have had an uncertain and dull ex- 
istence for years have, with the adoption of approved 
organization plans, doubled their membership within 
a few weeks, many of them showing a like increase 
through succeeding months until, after a brief period, 
instead of an attendance of six or ten or twenty they 
have forty, eighty, one hundred, even two hundred or 
more members. 

Organization has developed group consciousness. 
—The unorganized Bible class can scarcely be said to 
have a conscious existence. Organization provides a 
name, a charter, a constitution, and recognition by the 
church at large. The class awakens to a new group 
consciousness. A class spirit is created. A new loy- 
alty is developed. “Our class” begins to be spoken of 
in a way in which it was never mentioned before. All 
this means that the class now has within itself new 
powers and possibilities. from being inert and life- 
less it has become active, alert, intense, self-perpetu- 
ating, with a power within itself to be and to do. 

Organization has created permanent interest.— 
The unorganized class is held together very largely by 
the personality of the teacher. More than anything 
else, with a possible exception of that which has com- 

77 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


monly been the chief purpose of the class—Bible 
study—the teacher is the one center about which 
the class rallies. Organization creates an additional 
center of interest while at the same time the teacher 
remains an important factor in the life of the class. 
Too often in the past the severance of the teach- 
er’s connection with the class has meant a loss of 
interest and not infrequently the end of the class. 
The organized class is not dependent on any one per- 
son. Organization binds the class together as a self- 
conscious group. If for any reason the teacher is 
obliged to discontinue his service, while there may be 
regret and disappointment, the class existence is not 
threatened and its work suffers no interruption. 

Organization has increased emphasis upon serv- 
ice.—Christian service is the necessary correlative of 
really successful teaching. In fact, service is in itself 
one of the most effective means of religious education. 
While in the past Bible teaching in the organized class 
undoubtedly inspired many persons to go out from the 
class session to perform deeds of mercy and kindness, 
class organization has placed new emphasis upon the 
importance of service and succeeded in making service 
a principal objective of class existence. In classes 
properly organized service is constantly kept in the 
foreground, and organized Bible classes of evangelical 
churches have become a tremendous world force in 
behalf of the kingdom of God. 

Organization has helped to meet social needs of 
adults.—Organization has led to the definite recog- 
nition of the need of adults for wholesome social life 
and for recreation. By means of carefully planned 

78 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


social events the members have become better ac- 
quainted with one another, much good fellowship has 
been promoted, and the happiness and health of large 
numbers of men and women enhanced. 

The need for recreation is laid deep in the very con- 
stitution of our being. Men and women instinctively 
long for it. The church in the past too largely over- 
looked this need. As a result people have turned in 
many cases to unwholesome forms of recreation and 
not infrequently to means of amusement positively de- 
basing. In too many cases social clubs have exhibited 
strikingly the lack of a positive ethical standard. The 
organized adult class has in many cases found it pos- 
sible to minister to the social and recreational needs 
of adults in simple, wholesome ways that have been 
productive of much good. Providing effectively for 
the expression of the social life these classes have ac- 
complished the additional desirable end of giving to 
the church a new standing in the estimate of the com- 
munity. Too often in the past it happened that the 
church, by a too exclusive emphasis upon preaching 
and meetings for prayer and testimony, stood as a 
thing apart from community life, a place to be resorted 
to only on Sundays and special occasions, instead of 
being the highest expression of a complete community 
life—devotional, intellectual, and social. The organ- 
ized class, in many cases, has been the means of rad- 
ically changing this situation. 

Organization has popularized study of the Bible. 
—To a considerable extent the organized class has also 
increased the study of the Bible by adults. Not always 
has the adult Bible class been true to its name. Too 

79 


] 
ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION | 


i 
often, instead of vital Bible study on the part of the 


members, they have assembled without a previous 
study of the lesson material to listen to a hastily pre 
pared informal talk, more or less loosely related to ‘ 
the lesson for the day. Too often the class has not” 
been in any proper sense a study class. Nevertheless, © 
when full allowance has been made for all exceptions, 
it remains true that there has been a real revival off 
interest in the study of the Bible and in the application © 
of Christian ideals and principles to personal and 
social needs, due in no small measure to the organized 
adult-Bible-class movement. ; 


ELEMENTS OF WEAKNESS : 





Any thoughtful evaluation of such a movement 
ought to consider not only beneficial results but also” 
inherent weaknesses. The organized adult-Bible-class” 
movement, as represented by organized classes in the 
local church, has certain points of weakness which" 
should be frankly recognized. i 

Adult work of the church lacks unity.—Under the 
class-organization plan the Church School has a num- 
ber of unrelated organized adult groups. The plan 
provides no common administrative group for adults. 

Graded instruction and departmental organization | 
have sometimes been charged with destroying the unity . 
of the Sunday school. As a matter of fact, only the 
distinctive age group is homogeneous. The so-called 
unity of the mass assembly of all ages does not exist. 
In the modern Church-School department, made up of 
pupils of a particular age group, one finds a kind of 
real unity that makes for efficiency in religious educa- 

80 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


tion. It is to be recognized that adult life as a whole 
lacks the degree of homogeneity characterizing, for 
example, the later childhood group or the young peo- 
ple’s group; nevertheless, the adults form a fairly 
homogeneous group, within which a fair degree of 
unity may be secured. However, when the adults are 
divided into organized classes, without any clearly de- 
fined principle of classification, there is a minimum of 
unity within the class group and no unity of the adult 
group as a whole. The average organized class con- 
tains adults of a wide range of age and all degrees of 
educational preparation and lack of it. 

Organized classes tend to become self-centered. 
—Christianization more and more is being understood 
to mean socialization—the developing of the social at- 
titudes of love, sympathy, brotherly kindness, and co- 
operation. Religious education for adults should be 
understood to consist very largely in the growth of 
these social attitudes. Unfortunately, organization 
has seemed to have a tendency to develop a self-cen- 
tered spirit in the adult class. This is probably to be 
explained through the overdevelopment of group con- 
sciousness. A certain degree of group consciousness 
is an asset, as has been stated above; but it easily be- 
comes inordinate, and the strong organized adult class, 
which claims the largest and best-furnished room in 
the church, thereby depriving one of the children’s de- 
partments of an adequate departmental room, and con- 
‘tents itself with self-entertainment and self-service, 
}bears testimony chiefly to the failure of our processes 
of religious education. 

The big class makes an impossible teaching situa- 

81 





ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


sees 


| 

| 

tion.—In many Sunday schools there are organized 
classes counting their membership in the hundreds. In 
one case a pastor has more men enrolled in the men’s 
class than there are names of people upon the church; 
record. The men’s class in an Ohio town has an aver- 
age attendance of more than eight hundred weekly.) 
There are many classes with a weekly attendance of 
two hundred, three hundred, or even five hundred) 
people. Such a class is a a congregation or audience, 
not in any proper sense a study class. The Church 
School is the teaching agency of the church. It is not 
the purpose of the Adult Department to gather a second 
congregation. Its purpose can be successfully realized) 
only through offering a possible teaching situation. 
The teacher of a large class in Arkansas states the case” 
frankly: “The members of my class are not homo- 
geneous either as to age or interest. I can hardly make 
an appeal to the entire class that depends upon individ- 
ual results for effectiveness. There is very little real, 
actual studying or teaching accomplished. The mem- 
bers seem to listen attentively, speaking out at times) 
and evidencing some preparation of the lesson, but) 
from an educational viewpoint the results are meager.” 
Another teacher writes: “Our big adult Bible class 
includes men and women from twenty-four to sixty. 
It would be very much better in my judgment for the: 
class to be divided into several groups. Because of 
the wide difference in interests, viewpoints, and activ- 
ities I find extreme ae in securing self-expres- 
sion and free discussion.” | 
Almost invariably the large organized class sooner 
or later weakens the public service of worship. The 

82 








OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


argument is sometimes advanced that since the mem- 
bers of the big class attend the class session, and not 
the public service of worship, the class session is just 
so much to the good. But why do they come? The 
simple answer is to be found in organization and the 
fuse of organization methods. The same methods 
would bring by far the larger proportion of them 
either to the public service or an Adult Department 
P session. 

No provision for a complete program.—Class or- 
ganization does not provide for an efficient or com- 
*plete program of religious education of adults. Reli- 
gious education can be really effective only if it takes 
into consideration individual needs of all people con- 
cerned and provides a program adequate to meet these 
needs. In the case of the big class almost invariably 
either the uniform lesson is used, or the teacher de- 
livers an address following an outline that he himself 
has prepared. Increasingly we are compelled to think 
religious education in terms of a complete educational 
program. Such a program provides not only for a 
wide range of religious and social service, for worship 
and for recreation, but also provides a comprehensive 
program of study and training based upon individual 
Hneeds or, at most, the needs of small homogeneous 
groups. It calls for some such form of adult depart- 
ment organization as has been outlined in the preceding 
chapters. 


STATUS OF EXISTING ORGANIZED CLASSES 


The preceding discussion freely recognizes the 
service rendered by class organization to the church 
83 





ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


and Sunday school. This service has been noteworthy 
and deserves full recognition. However, because of 
the limitations and inherent weaknesses of the organ- 
ized-class movement, conviction is expressed that from 
this time on major emphasis in adult religious educa-_ 
tion should be placed upon department organization 
rather than class organization. What, then, becomes © 
of the organized class movement? What about the 
large number of existing organized classes? Should ~ 
an attempt be made to do away with class organiza- | 
tion? Should existing organizations be discontinued — 
and no additional classes organized? Certain aspects 
of class organization will be discussed in the next chap-_ 
ter. A few general principles should be stated at this” 
point. i 
A constructive emphasis important—In under- 
taking the organization of a real Adult Department it_ 
should be clearly recognized that the emphasis should 
be positive and constructive rather than negative and- 
destructive. This is an important principle in all reli- 
gious work. For years stress has been placed upon the 
value of class organization. During all this time we 
have been educating people in the belief that efficiency” 
in the adult work of school and church depends on 
the organization of the adult class. The intensity of 
their conviction is an evidence of the effectiveness with 
which the work has been done. There is no reason 
why all that has been said during these years concern- 
ing the values of class organization should now be 
contradicted. Class organization has been productive 
of valuable results. Let constructive emphasis now 
be placed upon the next forward step rather than an 
84 





OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


attempt made to destroy what it has taken years to 
build. 

Impossible to do away with organized classes.— 
The fact should be recognized that it is impossible, 
even if it were deemed wise, to do away immediately 
with existing organized classes. Any general attempt 
in that direction would meet with immediate and in- 
tense opposition. A children’s organization can be 
almost instantly disbanded; not so an organization of 
adults. It is difficult for adults to adjust themselves 
to new situations, and the fact should be freely recog- 
nized, without apology or condemnation. If a strong, 
tactful emphasis is placed on department organiza- 
tion, with freedom of election of study courses, class 
organization will in time take care of itself. Gradually 
the superior values of department organization will be- 
come apparent to the more open-minded of the men 
and women, and the sharp distinctions between classes 
and the more rigid features of class organization will 
disappear. 

Recognition of the elective principle—A persist- 
ent effort should be made to secure recognition of the 
elective principle in the choice of courses of study. 
The leaders of organized classes should be led to see 
that even though class organization is preserved in- 
tact, every member of every class should be free to 
choose whatever course of study he considers most 
helpful. If only the officers of the various classes can 
be influenced to give cordial assent to this principle, 
a long step will be taken toward making possible a 
real Adult Department. 
| A simpler form of class organization—As major 
85 


| 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


emphasis is to be placed upon department organiza- 
tion, it should be considered unwise to build up elab- 
orate class organizations. It may be necessary to agree 
to maintain the status quo in existing organized! 
classes, but it should be regarded as a settled principle» 
that new classes organized shall adopt a minimum 
form of organization. The reasons for this are ob- 
vious. There would be serious difficulty in maintaining 
a complete and effective department organization and 
at the same time elaborate class organizations. Inev- 
itable competition and overlapping would result. | 
Gradually, with increasing simplicity of class organiza- | 
tion and growing emphasis on department organiza-_ 
tion, the situation will become satisfactorily adjusted. | 







For Group DIscussion 





1. What were some of the probable causes con- 
tributing in the early days to class organization? | 

2. Discuss the various stages of development of 
the organized class movement. 

3. What have been the most noteworthy benefits of. 
class organization? 

4. What are to be considered the most serious limi 
tations and elements of weakness of the organized= | 
class movement? 

5. What principles should govern in the transition| 
from class organization to department organization?) 


For WRITTEN Work . 


1. What is the total enrollment of adults, including’ 
members of nonattending organized groups (such as. 
extension classes, Home Department, etc.), in your 
Church School? 

2. How many adult classes? Of these how many) 
ate organized classes? 

86 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


3. What special types of classes, if any, are repre- 
sented (such as training class; parents’ class; home 
study class; shop, factory, or mill class; neighborhood 
groups; classes for immigrants or Americanization 
classes ) ? 

4. How do the organized classes of the school com- 
pare with the unorganized classes as measured by (a) 
regularity of attendance; (0) interest; (c) activities? 

5. Estimate the value of the work done in the adult 
classes from the standpoint of (a) instruction; (b) 
distinctive religious value. 

6. What disadvantages of class organization are to 
be noted from the standpoint of church and school? 








CHAPTER VI 
ORGANIZATION OF CLASSES 







Our study of the organized-class movement has re-__ 
vealed the fact that class organization has served cer-_ 
tain very useful purposes. Nor is it to be assumed 
that the organization of the Adult Department makes 
unnecessary the organization of subsidiary groups 
within the department. It will be realized, however, 
that a brief textbook on department organization can-— 
not discuss at length forms and values of class organ-_ 
ization. Such a discussion may be found elsewhere.! | 

Class organization has gained such a degree of pop- 
ularity that a danger exists of the adoption of organ- . 
ization by groups within the department without any 
real consideration of the ends to be served. Class or- 
ganization, indeed, has often been urged in recent years” 
as though it had some kind of magical power or as if 
a class not organized lacked an absolute essential. In Hl 
some cases class organization has been adopted merely 
to comply with the request of a church board or to 
conform to an external mechanical standard. In all 
such cases organization of the class is likely to be 
merely a form, lacking in any really vital purpose. 
Organization within the class, as within the depart- 
ment, should be functional. Before organizing, a : 
class should consider what definite ends are to be 


1The Adult Worker and Work, Methods of Organtzed Adult Class Work, . 
Darclay and Phifer. 
88 





| 





THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


served by organizing and should determine the form 
of organization in the light of these ends. 

The placing of predominant emphasis on depart- 
ment organization does not mean ignoring the values 
that inhere in class organization. It does mean that 
increasingly, with growing recognition of the prin- 
ciple of freedom of choice of subjects of study, class 
groups will be fluid in nature; that is, the membership 
of the class will continue the same only for the period 
during which a particular course is studied or class 
project continued. At the conclusion of a course or 
project continuing for three or six months some of 
the members will presumably choose one course, some 
another. Thus the classes of the department will 
change personnel to a greater or less extent every 
three months. Even in these temporary elective study 
groups, however, some organization will usually be 
found desirable. Our discussion in this chapter will 
therefore concern, first, the purpose and form of or- 
ganization of elective groups and, secondly, of per- 
manent class groups. 


ORGANIZATION OF ELECTIVE STUDY GROUPS 


Purpose of organization—The chief purpose of 
organization in the elective study group will be to 
promote interest in the course studied and to cooperate 
with the teacher in making the study in every way a 
success. In any group special attention should be 
paid to new members, that they may become acquainted 
and made to feel at home, aiding them in whatever 
ways seem possible in making the necessary personal 
adjustments to a new situation. 

89 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


Determining factors.—The character and length of 
the course, the number of persons in the group, and 
the conditions governing the study should be allowed 
to determine the details of the organization. If the 
group, for example, has undertaken the study of a 
single thirteen-lesson course, the form of organization 
will differ from that required for a longer course or 
series of courses on some special subject such as the 
Standard Training Course. As a rule a temporary, 
simple, and informal form of organization with no 
inflexible requirements will be found most serviceable. 
Most of the available elective courses are planned for 
a period of three months. A few are six months, and 
others a year in length. It is obvious that when a 
short-period course is taken up, complex organization 
is not only needless but perhaps may be detrimental. 
In any case a president will be found to be needed, 
since, whether the group continues only for three 
months or for a longer time, a presiding officer will 
be required. Each class also will need a secretary, 
who will keep the records, and perhaps a treasurer 
(though the case for a treasurer is not quite so clear 
as for a secretary) or secretary-treasurer. At least 
one committee will be called for—a membership com- 
mittee, whose duty it will be to cooperate with the 
department committee on membership in enlisting per- 
sons not enrolled in the department and to follow up 
absentees. This organization may be enlarged or 
supplemented as the needs of the case may suggest, 
keeping in mind the fact that it is better to constitute 
special committees for special needs than to maintain 
standing committees. In some cases a program com- 

90 





1 
4 





OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


mittee will be found useful. In the case of a leader- 
ship-training class such a committee may cooperate 
with the teacher and the director of training in plan- 
ning for observation and practice. In some cases 
special committees may be appointed to conduct sur- 
veys related to the content of the course or to prepare 
an exhibit of class work or of materials useful in the 
study. In the case of elective study groups it should 
be definitely understood that the organization, what- 
ever it may be, is to live only during the progress of 
the course. 


ORGANIZATION OF PERMANENT CLASS GROUPS 


_ The fellowship type of class.—Experience com- 

pels the recognition that there are many adults, both 
-men and women, who have very slight interest in any 
kind of study. Intellectual interests play a minor part 
in their lives; instead, their dominant interests center 
in activity or in social fellowship. Of these, many 
are men and women of high-grade ability, while 
others represent a low level of mentality. These 
latter are illiterate or partially illiterate because 
they are intellectually dull. They have no intellectual 
interests and will not respond to any appeal involving 
actual study. They would be wholly at a loss if con- 
fronted with a program of study and asked to choose 
their course. What of these men and women? Shall 
it be said that there is no place for them in the Adult 
Department? By no means. They are human beings, 
members of the immense group of people who live 
chiefly in the realm of emotions and volitions rather 
than in the realm of thought and knowledge. They 

Ot 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


are capable of religious education in terms of training 
in Christian attitudes and Christian service. For them 
the Adult Department session should be preeminently 
a period of Christian fellowship, membership in it a 
matter of enlistment in a definite program of service. 

Organization for service——As stated elsewhere, 
service is a most effective form of religious education 
and should be given a place of preeminence in the 
Adult Department program. Groups within the de- 
partment should be urged to undertake definite 
projects, the form of organization to be largely deter- 
mined by the project undertaken. When the project 
has been completed the organization may disband, as 
in the case of the elective study group. Other groups 
may desire a more or less permanent form of organ- 
ization, as in the fellowship type of class, as soon as 
one project is completed taking up another. 

Some suggested groups.— Most Adult Departments 
will require at least one men’s class of the fellowship 
type and a parallel class or classes for women. In 
most cases a class will be required which will draw 
to itself especially the older men of the department, 
and another the elderly women. Most people are 
sensitive about being considered old, and this point 
should be guarded. 

Other organized classes that will serve an important 
ptirpose in many communities are: 

Home-study classes-—-These should offer home- 
study courses for parents, Sunday workers, shut-ins 
in institutions, and the aged. 

Shop and factory classes —By these are meant week- 
" 1See pages 22, 23. 

92 








OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


day classes for workers in industrial plants. There 
are numerous groups in large numbers of communities 
for which such classes should be provided. 

Neighborhood classes—Often there are distant and 
isolated neighborhoods from which the people cannot 
conveniently come to the Church School. A Sunday- 
afternoon or week-evening class may exercise a very 
helpful ministry to such a neighborhood. 

Classes for new Americans —Many Church Schools 
are doing very effective religious work for immigrant 
groups through organized classes. Special courses of 
instruction are available for such groups, and this 
type of service should be widely extended. 

Form of organization.—Collaboration between 
denominational and interdenominational organiza- 
tions has resulted in the establishment of a stand- 
ard setting forth the minimum of organization to be 
attained by a class before it shall be entitled to recog- 
nition as an organized class. 

This standard of organization requires three def- 
inite and distinct things—namely: 

(a) The class must be organically connected with 
the Church School, of which it shall be considered an 
integral part. This does not mean that the adult class 
must necessarily meet at the same time and place with 
the other departments and classes of the school, but 
it means that it is recognized as an organic part of 
some Church School and that it so recognizes itself. 

(b) The class shall have at least the following of- 
ficers: teacher, president, vice-president, secretary, 
and treasurer. It shall have an executive committee. 
It may have in addition leaders of class activities with 

93 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


such special committees as are necessary or certain 
standing committees—membership, devotional, and 
social. 

(c) The class shall consist of adult members only 
—that is, of men and women of twenty-four years 
and upward. 

Determination of form of organization.—This 
form of organization is not suggested as adequate for — 
all classes. It is presented as a minimum of organ- 
ization that has been used with satisfaction and profit 
by many permanent class groups. With this as a 
framework an organization may be developed suited 
to the purposes and work of the class. That is, class 
organization, just as department organization, should 
be functional. In general it may be said that the 
more simple the organization the better. It should not 
be allowed to become cumbersome or unwieldy, nor un- 
necessarily duplicate department organization. In the 
beginning the average class could do no better than 
to adopt the form we have outlined and then, as the 
work takes shape, develop the organization as the 
needs demand. Chief advantages of organization are 
that it provides for a division of labor, locates respon- 
sibility, and creates means of accomplishing new and 
enlarged ends. Inadequate organization prevents 
these advantages being realized. 

Additional officers and committees——Some un- 
usually large classes have various additional officers. 
The following may be noted: assistant teacher, to 
teach the lesson in the absence of the regular teacher 
or on special occasions; assistant secretary, to aid the 
secretary and to serve in his absence; financial secre- 

04 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


tary, as assistant to the treasurer; librarian, to have 
charge of all books and periodicals and to be respon- 
sible for the distribution of songbooks, Bibles, and 
whatever helps are needed in the study of the lesson; 
class reporter or press correspondent, to send items of 
interest concerning the class to the secular and the reli- 
gious press; advertising manager, to have direct charge 
of the class advertising; chorister, to lead the singing 
and to have general direction of the music of the 
class; pianist; custodian, to have charge of the per- 
manent records of the class; editor of the class paper 
(in case one is published). 

As committees, the following may be noted: evan- 
gelistic, prayer-meeting, social-service, missionary, 
temperance, employment, literary, music, ‘reception, 
athletic, civil, legal-aid, medical-aid, attendance, visit- 
ing, sick-visitation, advertising, classroom, ushers. 

The class that has any considerable number of com- 
mittees should by all means have an executive commit- 
tee, composed of the chief officers and the chairmen of 
the various other committees, which shall act as a 
cabinet to supervise and plan the work of the class 
as a whole. 


DuTIES OF CLASS OFFICERS 


In permanent organized class groups all officers 
should have clearly defined duties. 

The teacher.—The teacher is the chief officer of 
the class; and while his first and most important rela- 
tion to the class is that of instructor, he also shares 
with the president the leadership of the class in all its 
activities. It is his duty to interest himself in all 

95 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


phases of the work of the class. It is not well for him 


to assume responsibility for tasks that properly should 
be performed by others. It will, however, largely de- 
volve upon him to inspire other officers and the mem- — 
bers. The activity and power of the class will there- — 


fore depend to a considerable extent on his ability 


as a leader. The impress of his influence and example © 
will be upon the class. It will be necessary for him — 


not only to teach by word of mouth but to lead in all 


forms of service. In visiting the sick, comforting — 


the bereaved, warning the straying, counseling the 
misled, he will be able to enforce and give point to 
the precepts of the classroom. He should be consid- 
ered ex officio a member of all committees. 

The president.—The president of the class is its 


principal executive officer. He is the active head of © 


the organization. Upon him devolves the responsi- | 
bility of making the organization effective in religious © 


and social activity. He is not to supplant the teacher 


or to command but to associate himself intimately — 


with the teacher as a coordinate officer in building up 
the class. It is of the utmost importance that he 
should be in accord with the teacher in his thought and 
plans for the class and its work. He should also be 


in close touch with the pastor and know his ideals and © 


ambitions for the class. By virtue of his office he is 


ex officio a member of all class committees. The © 


nomination of committees may properly be in his 


hands, with the provision that the nominations shall — 


be concurred in by the teacher. He should preside at 
all meetings of the class when present and should see 
that all business is transacted with promptness and that 


96 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


all obligations of the class are met. At the Sunday 
sessions of the class the teaching of the lesson has 
right of way. The president should not take the time 
which by right belongs to the class for the lesson dis- 
cussion. He may open the session, if the constitution 
shall so provide, but if there are items of business 
which seem to require attention, time should not be 
taken without consultation with the teacher. The 
class should not be permitted to get in the habit of 
attending to its business matters on Sunday. 

The business meeting is the special responsibility of 
the class president. It devolves upon him to work up 
interest in it, make plans for it, carry it through to 
successful conclusion, and in general make it serve 
its purpose in forwarding all the interests of the class. 

The president shares with the secretary and the 
membership committee responsibility for class growth. 
He should cooperate with both in making plans for 
securing new members, including class advertising. 
Likewise, by counsel and assistance he should aid the 
class treasurer. 

Whether the class is a live organization or simply 
has the name of being organized depends more on 
the president than on anyone else. He may be a figure- 
head or he may be the directing, energizing genius of 
a class which is helping the school and the church. 

If the president is to be a success, he must show 
Originality. In every community there are many cry- 
ing needs of a religious and social nature. The presi- 
dent must be able to see these and lead the class to 
meet them. He should not blindly copy the work of 
other organizations in the church or that of organized 

97 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


classes elsewhere. Let him find the things most need- 
ing to be done and lead the class to do them, whether 
any other class ever did these particular things or not. 

The presidency of the organized class will be just as 
useful and influential as the man or woman elected is 
able to make it. It has in it great possibilities, fre- 
quently not realized, either because the position is not 
taken seriously enough, or because the one elected does 
not put into it what is necessary. 

The vice-president.—In the absence of the presi- 
dent, the vice-president becomes the presiding officer 
of the class. He should hold himself ready to assist 
the president at any time upon request and should 
freely counsel with the president on all matters per- 
taining to the class and its work. 

The secretary.—Upon the secretary devolves the 
responsibility for the keeping of all necessary records 
and the making of all announcements and reports. In 
particular he should record the minutes of all business 
meetings and a report of the Sunday meetings, and 
should preserve copies of all programs rendered by 
the class and all printed matter of whatever other sort 
issued. He should keep a record of class membership, 
recording the names of new members as they are 
elected to membership and making record of the ter- 
mination of membership when for any reason it oc- 
curs. He should also keep a record of attendance upon 
all class meetings. The minutes of committee meet- 
ings should come into his hands for permanent preser- 
vation. He should issue and receive certificates of 
class membership and, through correspondence, keep 
in touch with absent members. The making and pres- 


98 





OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


entation of regular reports of the class are also his 
iduty. 

The work of the secretary is closely related to that 
tof the membership committee, of which he should be 
fa member. He should be secretary of the committee 
bas well as of the class. He should aid in planning the 
Swork of the committee and, with the chairman, bear 
}responsibility for carrying out the plans. A large part 
of the efforts of the committee should be directed to- 
fward securing new members. While principal reli- 
hance may properly be placed upon personal invitation, 
Pthis should be followed up by written invitations and 
by notices of the class meetings and of special events. 
) Not less important is the work of following up ab- 
sentees. 

The secretary should endeavor to keep closely in 
}touch with all members of the class and in case of un- 
husual circumstances affecting any member he should 
‘communicate the facts to the class. The secretary 
should make a special effort to keep the president and 
the teacher informed on all matters of interest affect- 
ing members of the class. 

The treasurer.—The finances of the class are the 
interest and care of the treasurer. All moneys received 
and expended should pass through his hands, and he 
should keep a complete and accurate account of all 
receipts and expenditures. Vouchers covering all ex- 
penditures should be kept. He should present an ac- 
curate financial report at each business meeting and 
also an annual report summarizing the financial trans- 
actions of the year. 

With many classes the chief source of financial in- 

99 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION — 
come will be the offerings received at the Sunday ses- 
sions of the class. At least a substantial part of the 
offering should go, through the Adult Department 
treasurer, to the Church School as the contribution of 
the class to the expenses of the school. Probably the 
majority of organized adult classes divide the offering 
on some fixed basis mutually decided upon by the class 
and the school. This source of income will necessarily 
be supplemented by others if the class is to do much 
in a financial way. 


SOME GENERAL POINTS oF EMPHASIS 


Records and reports.—In the case both of tem- 
porary elective groups and of permanent organized 
classes accurate records of enrollment, attendance, 
service and recreational activities, and finance should 
be transmitted by the secretary to the secretary of the 
department. The preparation of records and reports 
should be so planned as to avoid interruptions during 
the class period. 

Class equipment.—lIt is important that the adult 
class should have a separate room, if possible, for its 
class session. The separate room prevents interrup- 
tions, insures a degree of privacy, and aids in devel- 
oping a group consciousness, which together contribute 
in a marked degree to efficiency. Without doubt there 
has been an overemphasis in recent years on the sep- 
arate classroom. A classroom is desirable but not 
indispensable. It is much more important that each 
of the various departments shall have a suitable depart- 
ment room than that any adult class shall have a sep- 
arate classroom. If the facilities do not provide both 

100 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


|) department rooms and classrooms, the departments 
}should come first. No organized class should occupy 
a separate room to the exclusion of an entire depart- 
ment. The interest of any department of the school 
is more important than the interest of any one class. 
This requires emphasis because so many big adult 
classes have exercised “squatter sovereignty” rights 
over rooms needed for departments. For an adult 
class to take possession and continue to hold for its 
own use a room suitable for the Junior or Intermedi- 
ate or any other department of the school, leaving the 
latter without suitable provision for department admin- 
istration, is a species of selfishness unworthy of a 
group of Christian men or women. 

Lack of equipment for class use is to be deplored. 
Many teachers suffer almost unsurmountable handicap 
in the lack of equipment essential to instruction. In 
addition to a classroom, chairs with arm shelves are de- 
sirable, especially for lecture classes. The teacher 
always should have a stand or table upon which to 
place his teaching materials. A spacious blackboard, 
adequate maps, and sufficient floor space to admit of 
the placing of chairs without crowding are among the 
requirements. In the next chapter organization for 
study and teaching will be discussed. The plan of 
special teachers for special courses to be given at reg- 
ular intervals should be so arranged as to permit a par- 
ticular course to be offered always in the same room, in 
which may be assembled maps; illustrative material such 
as charts, graphs, and pictures; and other material most 
serviceable for that particular course. One room, for 
example, may be designated as the New Testament 

101 





ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


room; another the Old Testament room; a third the | 
church-history room; and one room most certainly 
should be set apart as the training-class room. As yet, 
of course, an arrangement such as this is possible in 
very few churches, but some have facilities making 
such a plan possible. In churches in which only min- 
imum equipment is provided, interest and ingenuity 
on the part of class members in providing useful items 
of equipment will contribute to the efficiency of the 
work of the teacher and redound to the profit of the 
class members. 

Class relationship.—In earlier chapters the rela- 
tions of class and department have been discussed. 
In concluding this discussion of class organization we 
would again emphasize that the only reason for class 
groups within the department is that the objectives of 
the department may be accomplished. The officers of 
classes should therefore develop the realization on 
the part of all the members that the interests of the de- 
partment take precedence over those of the class, and 
that the interests of the church and the Church School 
as a whole are preeminent. The supreme loyalty of 
all is due to the church. The attitude of every class 
member to the department, the school, and the church 
should be one of hearty sympathy, enthusiastic sup- 
port, and undivided loyalty. The tendency of organ- 
ized classes, particularly big classes, so often remarked 
during recent years in which class organization has 
been so zealously promoted, to center all interest and 
effort on class promotion, develop an elaborate class 
program, and withdraw from all participation in the 


See pages 38-39, 47-49. 
I02 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


activities of the school as a whole, and of the church, 
merits only condemnation. Classes that build upon a 
foundation that has been laid by the church through 
decades of sacrificial service and then draw apart by 
themselves, refusing to support the church or co- 
operate in its activities, lay themselves open to serious 
criticism. No organized class can be a substitute for 
the church; and when the officers or members exhibit 
a tendency to make it a substitute, steps should imme- 
diately be taken to correct such tendency. 

Reports to the denominational office—Whether 
the class is of the service type, with a permanent or- 
ganization, or an elective class group, the secretary 
should report the organization to the general office of 
the denominational board in order that the class may 
receive recognition and such information and aid as 
the office may afford. All the denominational offices 
supply valuable printed material, freely offered to all 
organized classes. 


For Group DISCUSSION 


1. What values may organization serve in elective 
study groups? 

2. What factors should determine the form of or- 
ganization of the elective study group? 

. What permanent organized class groups should 
the Church School have? 

4. How shall the form of organization of the’ per- 
manent class group be determined? 

5. Who is the most important officer of the organ- 
ized class? 

6. How may the relationships of the class to the 
department, the school, and the church be made what 
they should be? 


103 


THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


For WRITTEN WorK 


1. Of the adults now in your Church School what 
proportion might be enrolled in elective study classes? 
What proportion would prefer the service type of 
class? 

2. What special types of class not now represented 
in your Church School should be planned? 

3. Outline a satisfactory form of organization for 
some one class of your school, first describing the | 
group and suggesting the officers and committees re- 
quired. 

4. Distinguish between the duties of the teacher and © 
the president of the organized class. 

5. What additional equipment is required for ef- 
ficient work with adults in your school ? 

6. What changes are needed in order to improve the 
relation of organized classes in your schoo! to the 
school and to the church? 


104 


CHAPTERAV EL 


ORGANIZING THE DEPARTMENT FOR 
STUDY AND TEACHING 


Or the departments of the Church School no other 
represents so wide a range of age as the Adult De- 
partment. The age range of most of the other depart- 
ments is three years; that of the Young People’s De- 
partment, six years; while that of the Adult Depart- 
ment is the whole of life above twenty-three years. 
The Christian is a disciple—a learner—not merely for 
the first twenty-three years of life but throughout the 
whole of life. He is ever learning—coming ever to 
a deeper insight into the truth as it is in Christ Jesus 
and to a broader grasp of the principles of Christian 
living. It is for such Christians that the Adult De- 
partment is called upon to provide a program of study. 

The adults of the church not only represent a wide 
range of age; they possess varied interests and a wide 
variety of needs. It is evident that for such a group 
the program of study and teaching must be comprehen- 
sive and varied. 

Will the adults of our churches avail themselves of 
a program of study if it is provided? Doubtless many 
of them will not. The spiritually illiterate probably 
we shall always have with us. But others, not drawn 
to the Sunday school by the program it has offered in 
the past, will be attracted to the Adult Department. 

105 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


It is certain that large numbers of adults will never 
be led to study to show themselves “approved unto 
God, workmen that needeth not to be ashamed,” unless 
such a program is provided. Several years ago a well- 
known leader, writing in criticism of the inadequate 
program of the churches, asked: ‘“‘Who has ever heard 
of any definite program adopted by a church for the 
orderly, progressive training of its grown men and 
women in the understanding of the religious life, in 
their appreciation and acceptance of their spiritual 
heritage, and in their religious duties and service?” 
Surely such a challenge cannot permanently remain un- 
answered. Surely there are not a few churches that. 
are ready to make a serious effort to formulate and 
offer such a program. 


PRINCIPLES OF ORGANIZATION 


What are the principles of organization that should 
govern such a program? 

Class grouping.—Of first importance is the princi- 
ple that grouping in classes should be wholly on the 
basis of interests and needs. Any other basis is arti- 
ficial and interferes with the attainment of the finest 
spiritual results. 

Grading is as important with adults as with chil- 
dren. It has often been said that grading in the 
Church School ends with the close of adolescence. 
This is a mistake. In the case of children and adoles- 
cents, interests and moral and religious needs corres- 
pond somewhat closely with age periods that can be 
marked off with approximate accuracy. This, of 
course, is less true with adults. Physical growth has 

106 





OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


ceased by the close of later adolescence. Mental 
growth should not have ceased. It is a calamity if it 
has. Experience is constantly broadening, judgment 
is ripening, and other significant changes are occurring. 
Certain broad age divisions may be recognized— 
namely, young manhood and womanhood, middle life, 
and age. Mora! and spiritual needs are not identical 
in these periods; and while some interests may persist 
throughout the whole of life, other interests mature, 
and still others arise for the first time. Interests and 
needs, differing with individuals, should be determin- 
ative in the formation of class groups. 

Freedom of choice.—A second important principle 
is this: all members of the department should be wholly 
free to elect their courses of study. Since age and 
other determinants of classification used in grading in 
the children’s departments no longer possess the same 
significance, there is no reasonable alternative to this 
principle. We are now dealing with adults—men and 
women who are assumed to be of mature judgment— 
not with children, and they cannot be assigned to 
classes by an officer or a committee of the department. 
They must be allowed the utmost freedom in choosing 
from the courses offered for election. Some mis- 
takes will be made. This is inevitable and cannot be 
prevented. No officer or committee could possibly 
make assignments with entire wisdom or avoid causing 
irritation and friction. The members of the depart- 
}ment should be advised to consult with the proper of- 
|ficers concerning the courses and both by printed 
}material and by personal counsel aided in making 
| intelligent choice. 

107 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


Schedule of courses.—The department should ne 


a program or schedule of courses. The program 


should be systematically planned in advance for a 
period of years. Not less than a three-year program 


should be planned, and in many cases a five-year pro- — 


gram would be preferable. The program should pro- | 


vide for some degree of orderly progress from year 
to year, or, in other words, a sequence of study 
through a series of years. Why should adults in the 
Church School be expected to follow a cycle, round 
by round, year after year, with no advance, forever 
studying the same lessons and never coming to a 
knowledge of the truth? 

The problem of teacher-supply—How can the 
problem of a sufficient number of qualified teachers 
for such a program be solved? At least a partial an- 
swer is that teachers should be selected for the teach- 
ing of special subjects. The best qualified persons 
in the church should be encouraged to prepare as_ 
speciahsts in the teaching of particular subjects. There. 
are men and women in almost every community who 
find it almost impossible to teach in the Church School 
constantly, year after year, who nevertheless would 
be glad to serve for a period of three months each 
year or perhaps six months in alternate years. For 
example, the pastor of the church might be especially 
interested in teaching the life of Christ or some one 
or more other subjects in the program. An attorney 
might be interested in preparing to teach a course at 
intervals on the legal literature of the Old Testament; 
a physician, the book of Proverbs; a business man, 
the social teachings of the prophets; a school superin- 

103 





| 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


tendent or principal, the beginnings of Christianity or 
some other course in which he has a special interest. 

There are special advantages in such a plan. It 
provides the Adult Department with a larger faculty 
than is otherwise possible. It enlists in the work of 
the department a larger number of qualified teachers 
than can be otherwise obtained. Finally, it provides 
for utilizing the services of trained people who could 
not otherwise be enlisted. 

There is scarcely a city or town church that does not 
have within calling distance several men or women 
who are specialists in some subject within the scope 
of adult religious education. Very frequently these 
persons, though some of them may be eminent within 
their field of specialized interest, are glad to respond 
to an occasional call to give a limited course of ad- 
dresses or to lead a study class of interested people 
in their specialty. Here, for example, is a college pro- 
fessor of English literature who has made a special 
study of Browning or Lowell or Tennyson. What a 
stimulating, enriching course might be given on the 
Christian message of Browning or the theology of 
Lowell! Or here is a devout man who is teacher of 
some branch of natural science in a high school or col- 
lege who would be gratified to lead a discussion group 
for a three-months study of the debt of religion to mod- 
ern science. Let the church make a survey of the 
teaching resources within its reach. Even the rural 
church will find within call persons who have never 
been called upon ready freely to give their service. 
Often, also, it will be found that there are institutions 
within reach which offer possibilities of valuable help. 

109 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


THE PROGRAM OF STUDY 


What should be said concerning the program of 
study? A discussion in detail of the scope of the pro-— 


gram—the number and content of courses—does not 


. 


come within the prescribed limits of this book. Such 


a discussion may be found elsewhere. Some general — 


suggestions that will serve to guide in the organization © 
of the program are in order: 


Scope of program.—The adult program of study 
should be broad in scope, flexible and adaptable. It 


should embrace courses in a wide variety of subjects. 
It is preposterous to suppose that a church that se- 
riously undertakes the religious education of its adult 


constituency should expect to fulfill its responsibility” 
by offering adults of all ages, and all degrees of edu- 
cation and lack of it, a single course of study or merely 
a choice among two or three courses. The Bible should 


be central in the program, but other than Bible courses 


should be offered. The religious education of adult 


men and women includes more than Bible instruction. 


There is no danger of the Bible’s ever being displaced 
as the preeminent source book of spiritual inspiration” 
and moral and religious instruction. But that he may 
be fully equipped unto every good work the modern 
Christian needs instruction in subjects that cannot be 
connected with Bible texts. For example, there is 
every reason why a Protestant should know intimately 
the issues involved in the Protestant Reformation. 


There is no place within our evangelical churches for 
religious bigotry, ungrounded suspicion, and prejudice. 


1 Adult Religious Education, Barclay, Chapter VIII. 


110 x 





; 


‘ 
d 
j 
; 





OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


These unchristian attitudes are very largely the out- 
growth of ignorance. That this ignorance may be dis- 
pelled, and that the Protestant may know the funda- 
mental differences between evangelical Protestantism 
and Roman Catholicism, a course on the Reformation 
should have a place in every Adult Department pro- 
gram of study. Numerous other equally important 
subjects of study will be suggested upon consideration. 

The program should include elementary Bible 
courses. In every Church School there probably will 
always be some adults who do not have an elementary 
acquaintance with the Bible. Some of these will be 
new converts or new recruits to the school whose 
early religious training was neglected. For these, sim- 
ple, introductory courses, rich in inspirational values 
as well as in elemental information, should be provided. 
Courses are now available, and others are certain to 
be produced, which will serve this purpose more ef- 
fectively than the International Uniform Lessons. 

There are, however, certain advantages inhering in 
the International Improved Uniform Lessons, espe- 
cially for elementary Bible study, which should be 
freely recognized. Having been extensively and en- 
thusiastically promoted for many years, they have a 
strong hold upon the sentiment of many people. Abun- 
dant and low-priced helps are available for use with 
them. They are especially adapted to the fellowship 
type of class, whose members do not do much study- 
ing. 

It should be recognized that the need is as great for 
advanced as for elementary study courses. In many 
Church Schools there are now young men and women 

111 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


who have come up through the grades of schools in 
which they have studied the graded lessons. As years 
go on, there will be increasing numbers of these. It 
should not be expected that men and women who have 
studied graded courses under trained teachers will be 
satisfied with the type of Bible study which has pre- 
vailed in the average adult Bible class in the past. If 
they are to be retained in the membership of the 
Church School, those who are in authority must see 
to it that a different kind of program is provided. For 
these and for others whose interests, ability, and train-— 
ing fit them for serious and thorough study advanced 
courses should be offered. | 
Training for leadership and teaching.—The adult 
program should be made to contribute to the training © 
of men and women for leadership and teaching. 
Doubtless the larger number of recruits for training 
will come from the ranks of the young people, but 
the Adult Department also should be expected to do its” 
share. The call for men for the leadership of boys’ 
classes 1s too loud and insistent to be ignored. In every 
department there should be found men who neglected 
to prepare themselves in youth for such service 
who now, in the deeper purpose of maturer years, will 
undertake such preparation. Women of middle age, 
freed from the heavy responsibilities of the nurture 
and training of their own children, should be enlisted 
in training for wider social service. Some of our 
most efficient teachers come from this group of people. 
At least one class studying a training course should be 
maintained continuously in the Adult Department. 
The department should of course cooperate with the 
112 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


training plans of the school. If the school maintains 
a department of training, separately organized and 
administered, the adult training class should be affili- 
ated with this department. If the school has a director 
of training, the superintendent of the Adult Depart- 
ment should cooperate heartily with this officer and 
should encourage in every way the enlistment of mem- 
bers of the department in the training program. The 
lack of a thoroughly trained leadership is the greatest 
present handicap in the work of church and school, 
and no Adult Department should fail to do its part in 
overcoming it. 

_ Education through service.—The project principle 
is evermore gaining wider recognition in religious edu- 
cation. In engaging purposefully in a significant 
Christian enterprise members of the department are 
educating themselves through service. At this point 
the program of study and the program of service are 
fused, becoming one program with a single purpose. 
It is of the greatest importance that this principle shall 
be clearly understood. Study and service are not to 
be thought of as separate and distinct. They are one. 
Religious education takes place not so much through 
persons studying the principles of the gospel on Sun- 
day and then going out on Monday to apply them, as 
in deciding upon things to do and in the doing of them, 
studying what the principles of the gospel require and 
how they are to be applied. This means in effect that 
the program of study will be sufficiently broad and 
flexible to include projects as an essential element. The 
Sunday session of the group engaged in a project be- 
comes a discussion hour in which the enterprise in 

113 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION | 


; 


hand is considered in the light of the example and 
teachings of Christ. At every turn problems will ap- 
pear for whose solution light from the Bible and other — 
sources will be required. 
Through projects and study courses the Adult De- — 
partment can do much to overcome the divorce in ~ 
popular thought between religious service and social — 
service. There is no more important phase of reli- 
gious education than training in social service. While 
this may be most effectively accomplished, as indicated — 
above, through actual participation in such service, 
the program of study should supplement this by sys- 
tematic courses on the social ideals of the Hebrew 
prophets and of Jesus and on the modern movement 
of social reconstruction. 
The church and the home.—Among leaders of the 
church there is a growing appreciation of the home 
as the central, basic institution of religion. The war — 
aided in the development of this appreciation. Prac-— 
tically all who were compelled to study the problem ~ 
of morale in the A. E. F. agreed that the training of 
the home, the sentiments connected with home life, 
and the memories of home, more than any other com-_ 
bination of influences, undergirded the life of the 
soldier, strengthening him in hours of stress and 
strain, preparing him for extraordinary exertion and 
conflict, infusing courage, the spirit of sacrifice, and 
the willingness to endure danger, privation, and suffer- 
ing. Chaplains and “Y” workers, almost to a man, 
testify that the abiding influence of parental love, to- 
gether with the memory of a righteous and godly home | 
life, were the forces that enabled men to live right : 
II4 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


lives under the stress of the fearful temptations of 
their army experience abroad. 

_ All other religious institutions depend for their 
largest effectiveness on the home. Without a moral 
and religious home life it is impossible for either the 
church or the Church School fully to succeed. If the 
home atmosphere is positively religious, and the par- 
ents intelligent with regard to the methods and proc- 
esses of moral and religious training, church and 
school have a fair chance to render an effective service 
to childhood. If the home is antagonistic to religion, 
or even unintelligent or indifferent to it, the church 
and school have slight chance of promoting the devel- 
opment of a normal, healthy religious life. 

It is often the case that teachers complain justly 
because fathers and mothers apparently take no inter- 
est in what the Church School is trying to do and lend 
no assistance by way of helping the children with their 
lessons or urging them to prepare their home assign- 
ments. But the mere preparation of Sunday-school 
lessons, when this is secured, is not all that is neces- 
sary. If the child is to be truly religious, he must live 
his religion, and this means that religion must be a 
part of his daily life. This cannot be brought about 
merely by a little religious instruction and a brief 
period of worship on Sunday, even though lessons are 
studied during the week. Daily prayer, the devotional 
reading of the Bible, and religious conversation are 
necessary. The atmosphere of the home must be in- 
fused with the spirit of religion. The child must have 
the opportunity to experience religion as life. With 
religion thus a natural and normal element of his en- 

II5 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


vironment in the home there is slight chance that the 
child will become otherwise than a genuinely religious © 
man. , 

What can the Adult Department do as a part of its — 
program of study to aid the home in fulfilling its 
ministry as the central institution of religion? A great — 
deal can be done. Too long has the church neglected ~ 
its part in the education of parents for an intelligent, — 
skillful, consecrated parenthood. It may well be con- ' 
sidered a strange circumstance that the public school — 
should lead the church in this supremely important — 
ministry. Yet this is the case. The awakening of 7 
church leaders to the importance and possibility of par- — 
ent training has been inspired in no small part by the — 
success of the public school in this service. The public” 
school cannot do all that needs to be done. Its work © 
scarcely touches the religious nurture of children, and ~ 
this limitation is no more clearly recognized by anyone ~ 
than by public-school leaders themselves. . 

Parents as a rule know little of the most ef-— 
fective means of religious nurture. They desire — 
their children to be religious but they do not under-_ 
stand their part in the development of the religious life 
of the child. All parents, mothers of young children — 
especially, need counsel on the importance of a reli- © 
gious atmosphere in the home and on the use of — 
prayers, hymns, stories, and religious conversation in 
nurturing the moral and religious lives of their chil-— 
dren. In addition to general instruction practical guid-— 
ance in deciding upon the kind of material that should 
be used and information as to how and where it can 
be obtained is required. 





116 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


Here is a great field of opportunity that the Adult 
Department heretofore has scarcely touched. It 
should be organized for this ministry. This involves 
the selection of the wisest and most earnest workers 
who are available. Parent-training courses should be 
regularly scheduled as a part of the program of study. 
Correlation with the elementary departments is re- 
quired. Discussion as to prerogatives of workers in 
the respective departments is out of order. The ques- 
tion is not, Whose right is it to do the work? but, 
rather, Who will do it? If some things are being done 
by the elementary departments, what remains for the 
Adult Department to do? If a parent-teacher asso- 
ciation exists, how can the Adult Department aid and 
supplement its work? 

Home-study classes.—There are many causes that 
keep people from attendance upon the Sunday sessions 
of the Adult Department. With systematic, persistent 
effort many of the numerous nonattendants within the 
constituency of the church may be organized into 
home-study groups. In some cases the home-study 
or extension class may take the form of a neighborhood 
group, made up of men and women in some neighbor- 
hood remote from the church, as suggested in the pre- 
ceding chapter. In other cases mothers, or mothers 
and fathers, who cannot attend the Church School 
session on Sunday may be able to meet together in a 
class on a week-evening. In another community a 
group of seven-day workers may be organized as a 
week-evening Bible-study class. Possibly a group 
whose class consciousness keeps them away from the 
church—mill operatives or factory employees—may be 
117 












ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


brought together one evening a week, relationship to 
the Adult Department not being mentioned until, grad- 
ually, prejudice has worn away. These suggestions 
are genuine possibilities, and church workers are more 
and more realizing the fact. A deaconess writes: “I 
sincerely hope home-study courses such as you advo- 
cate will be generally introduced, more especially for 
the purpose of helping young mothers to understand 
the methods of child nurture, mentally and physically, 
as well as spiritually. If such courses might be pro- 
moted, resulting in methods of all-round, continuous 
development in contrast to the spasmodic efforts of 
many of our churches, much grief and labor and many 
lives would be saved.” : 

Home-study members——Among those who are 
homebound by age, infirmity, and chronic disease : 
there are many who may be enlisted in systematic 
study. The Home Department of the Sunday school 
was established to carry the fellowship of the school — 
and the study of the uniform lessons to these. The | 
idea which led to its inception was a beautiful one, and 
its service has been a blessed and Christlike ministry. 
Where the Home Department, separately organized, © 
is carrying on this ministry in a satisfactory manner, 
no change should be made unless it be to correlate the 
department closely with the Adult Department. There 
are many churches, however, which do not have such 
a department, and in this case the shut-ins should be 
enrolled as home-study members under the super- 
vision of the director of home and extension member- 
ship.t There is no reason why the home-study mem- 


tSee page 30. 
118 





OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


bers should be limited to the study of the uniform les- 
sons. Some would be more interested and more 
largely profited by the study of other courses included 
within the program of study. The entire program of 
the department should be placed before the home- 
study members, and they should be urged to enroll in 
the courses that appeal most strongly to them. Each 
class should maintain a list of home-study members, 
and the roll of their names should be frequently called. 
They should be systematically visited by members of 
the class who should discuss the course with them. 
They should also be visited as frequently as possible 
by the teacher that he also may discuss their studies 
with them. 

Reading courses.—The program of study should 
include within its scope definite provision for directing 
the reading of the adults of the church. We live in 
an age of the printing press. Innumerable books and 
periodicals are available; yet many Christian homes 
are destitute of both. Other homes have only cheap 
fiction and periodicals of questionable character. This 
is in part because of the lack of an effective medium 
of contact between the sources of good literature and 
these homes. The adults in these homes do not know 
what to read. They need counsel and guidance and 
the stimulation of their reading interests. Others, who 
do some reading, lack the knowledge and discrimina- 
tion to make a really wise selection. These also need 
guidance. Just this help the Adult Department should 
furnish, and may furnish provided the need is real- 
ized and definite plans are made for meeting it. 


119 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


For Group Discussion 


1. What are the distinguishing differences between 
the Adult Department and other departments of the — 
Church School, which affect the program of study? 

2. What are the principles of organization that 
should govern the adult program of study? 

3. How may suitable teachers be procured for a — 
comprehensive program of study? 

4. What should be the general scope of the Adult — 
Department program of study? | 

5. What may the Adult Department be expected to — 
contribute to the program of training of the Church 
School ? | 

6, What should be the service of the adult program — 
of study to the home? | 


a Ni a et dn ll 


ee ee ee eee 


For WRITTEN WorK 


1. What, if anything, has been attempted in your 
church in the way of systematic program of study for 
adults? Why has not more been undertaken? | 

2. To what extent have educational principles gov-— 
erned the grouping of adults into classes in your 
Church School? In what respects have educational © 
principles been transgressed? , 

3. What shortcomings, if any, have you discovered © 
in the uniform lessons for use in all adult classes in 
the Church School? 

4. To what extent have the adults of the Church 
School cooperated in the training program of the 
church? | 

5. What has been done in a systematic way by your 
Church School to make the homes of the church more 
effective agencies of religious nurture and training. 

6. To what extent has your church provided home 
study and reading for the homebound of the com-— 
munity ? 

7. The following verbatim statement describes a 
local-church situation as reported by one of the mem-— 

120 


¢ 
A 


a 








OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 

bers: “In our Sunday school at : , we 
have twenty-six men and thirty-one women in our 
Adult Department. We have three adult classes— 
one for men, and one for women, and one for men 
and women. We have not an organized class but we 
have an adult superintendent and secretary and treas- 
urer, and a teacher for each of the classes. We do not 
have a program in these classes; just read the lesson 
—each one read a verse and sometimes ask him to 
say a few words on the verse he reads, and then the 
teachers make a talk on the lesson. You might say 
we are still teaching in the old-fashioned way, but we 
are wanting to do the best we can. That is why the 
church sent me to try to learn this organizing of the 
department, and I hope to learn the way. I think 
some of our men would enjoy a course on efficiency 
in the Sunday school, and a great many I have in mind 
would like a course of study on: how to make the 
church social. I just can’t tell just which course 
we need in our church most. We hope to do better 
in the future. What would you advise in this situ- 
ation?” 








121 


CHAPTER VIII 


ORGANIZING THE DEPARTMENT FOR 
SERVICE 


AN outstanding weakness of the church is its fail- 
ure to plan a program of service for its members and 
actually to enlist them in carrying it out. There is no 
lack of emphasis in sermons on the importance of 
service. Pastors are continually declaring the neces- | 
sity of service as an essential part of Christian living — 
and exhorting their members to activity in service. — 
Yet there is scarcely a church anywhere which main- © 
tains an every-member program of service. It is for 
this that the Adult Department should be organized. 
A principal aim of organization, as has been repeat- 
edly stated in this discussion, is that all the adult © 
members of the church may be enlisted in systematic, — 
continuous service. 

In recent years there has been much emphasis upon ~ 
adult class organization and thousands of organized 
classes are in possession of certificates, framed and 
hanging upon the walls of their classrooms. At yearly 
intervals officers are elected and reported to the de- 
nominational headquarters. In too many cases this is 
the entire story. Now an increasing number of 
churches are turning to department organization. Will — 
it go no further? If organization of the Adult De- — 
partment is to mean no more than electing officers, 

122 





THE ADULT. DEPARTMENT 


sending in reports to an overhead board, and securing 
a certificate of recognition it is not worth the effort 
required. The first essential of an Adult Department 
worthy of the name is a significant purpose of service 
-—some one or more definite Christian enterprises 
which the group desire to undertake. The next step 
is to organize in order to carry out these projects. 
No prescribed form of organization, no matter how 
elaborate, can possibly equal in religious or educational 
significance a plan, no matter how simple, decided upon 
as the best means of accomplishing a real piece of 
Christian service. A single undertaking can scarcely 
be called a program, but a single significant project 
with a simple organization for carrying it through to 
completion is one of the most effective means of begin- 
ning in developing a service program. 
It will be worth our while at this point to consider 
more in detail from the standpoint of service the ends 
to be served by organization of the Adult Department. 


REASONS FOR A SERVICE PROGRAM 


Education through service.—One of the most im- 
portant reasons is, as has been stated more at length 
elsewhere, that activity is an essential element in all 
education, and that activity in the form of service of 
others is a main dependence of the church in the reli- 
gious education of its members. There are many 
adults who are not interested in study, not even in 
the study of the Bible, much less the study of the 
Christian religion as a system of doctrine. They are 
living intensely active lives and they are interested 


t Adult Religious Education, Barclay, Chapter X. 
123 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


in people. They are ready at any time to respond to 
a call to minister to human need. Many of them have 
never in their lives pored over a commentary or read 
a book on theology, but they have never refused when 
they met a hungry man to give him food, or a thirsty 
man to give him drink. They are ever ready to invite 
strangers to their homes, to clothe the naked, to visit — 
and to procure medical attendance for the sick. Hu- 
man need in any form never appeals to them in vain. 
They would be among the first to respond to such an 
invitation as that given by Jesus to the fishermen: 
“Come ye after me, and I will make you to become 
fishers of men.” If the church has something signifi- 
cant for them to do, they will answer the summons © 
and in sacrificial service of their fellow men they will 
discover the fact and the meaning of fellowship with 
God. Without a program that appeals to their sym-_ 
pathy and fraternal love and that offers them oppor- 
tunity actively to serve they will continue to pass by | 
the church door and give their time and energy to the » 
activities of the Rotary Club, the Kiwanis Club, the | 
Lions’ Club, the Women’s Club, and a host of other » 
similar organizations that are now enlisting the very | 
men and women who ought to be in our evangelical » 
churches or who are now in them as merely nominal, | 
indifferent members. Church-school leaders are now | 
coming to realize that organized service is quite as 
effective a method of religious education as organized 
study. 

Applied Bible study.—In the preceding chapter 
we have discussed organizing the department for 
study, but is study ever to be thought of merely as an | 

124 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 










end in itself? Is Bible study simply an interesting 
intellectual diversion? Or is it to find its completion 
as an educative experience in concrete forms of social 
service? There can be no doubt as to the answer to 
these questions. There is, in fact, no disagreement 
as to the form of reply to them, but the easy assump- 
tion has prevailed that each person will find his own 
method of application. The actual fact is that much 
of the study has utterly failed of concrete application. 
If the study of the Adult Department is really to be 
effective in a large way in changing social conditions 
in the community—in business and industry and pol- 
itics—it will be because Christian men and women 
have systematically, definitely planned ways and means 
of applying it. 

_ Social reconstruction fs a complex and difficult 
business. It is not a matter to be left to chance or 
accident. The stimulus and courage for it must come 
largely from a study of the social ideals of the proph- 
ets and of the principles of the gospel. Bible study is 
hecessary as a preparation for it. But the mere study 
alone is not enough: it must be followed by organ- 
ization and careful planning. In this the church 
should lead even more in the future than in the past. 
Unless it does so to what agency may we look for 
changes in the direction of social conditions that are 
in accord with the ideals of Jesus? It is a picture 
that might well cause wonder and amazement to see 
hundreds of groups of intelligent adult men and 
| women, professing to be devoted followers of Jesus 
}Christ, sitting in their churches Sunday after Sunday 
fin organized Bible classes, discussing with apparent 
125 





ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 





interest the revolutionary social teachings of Amos, 
Hosea, and Isaiah, and of Jesus, while without, in~ 
the very communities in which they live, hundreds of | 
children are ragged and dirty, scores of families live 
in crude, unsanitary buildings unfit to house cattle 
in the winter season, thousands of men and women 
stagger under economic burdens too heavy to be borne, 
while scarcely one of these groups makes the slightest 
effort to discover and remedy the underlying con-— 
ditions out of which these evils grow. Surely the time 
is not far distant when Bible study that is not applied” 
in systematic ways to remedy fundamental conditions” 
out of which injustice and oppression spring will not 
be highly regarded. That it may be applied it is neces- 
sary for the churches under the auspices of which the 
study is being carried on to plan systematically con- 
cerning ways and means. 

Moreover, Bible study must be applied if it is to 
continue to be virile. Religious instruction that does 
not express itself in service gradually tends to become 
unreal and sentimental. The note of reality in reli- iq 
gion is absolutely essential. When reality is lost out 
of religion, it becomes merely a sham and pretense. j 
There is too much so-called Bible study which does 
not ring true because those who are engaged in it 
have lost sight of the necessity of applying during 
the week the principles and ideals about which they 
talk on Sunday. 

Training in service.—The discussion of the preced- 
ing chapter referred to the importance of the training 
of adults in social service. If social service is to b 
effective it must be intelligent, and that there may be 

126 





































OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


intelligence study is necessary; but the kind of intel- 
ligence that results from book study is not in itself 
enough. If Christian men and women are to be ready 
for emergencies when they arise; if they are to be 
prepared for any contingency in community, civic, in- 
dustrial, and political life—ready on a moment’s notice 
to exemplify Christian ideals in service in difficult 
situations—they require the kind of training that 
comes from practice. Why are not the members of 
the churches invariably the first to respond, the most 
resourceful and skilled, in hours of community and 
national emergencies that try men’s souls? Why is it 
that so often members of other organizations, who are 
not identified with the church, outdistance church 
people in the quickness and assurance and skillfulness 
of their response? To cite a concrete example, to 
which few who know the facts will take exception, 
why, during the Great War, did the Salvation Army 
make so remarkable a record in its service activities 
while the representatives of the churches were so 
busy in explaining why the churches as such did not 
do more? The answer is to be found in the fact that 
the churches have not to any considerable extent 
trained their members in service. It has been the ex- 
ceptional church that has had a service program in 
Nwhich it has actually enlisted any large proportion of 
its members. It is for this end that the Adult Depart- 
ment is to organize its program of service. 


SoME GUIDING PRINCIPLES 


By what principles should the Adult Department 
be guided in choosing its projects and in organizing its 
127 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMIN ISTRATION 


‘ 


| 


program of service? Some of the more important we 


may briefly discuss. 


Know the local needs.—An Adult Department pro- : 


gram of service cannot be fully standardized for an _ 
entire denomination. The details should be very 
largely determined by the needs of the local situation, © 
Situations differ widely, and what would be an ad-— 
mirable program for one situation would not be ade- 
quate for another. As fields of service the department, 
the school, the church, the home, the community, and 
the world are suggested. To discover the needs, each 
of these fields, so far as this is practicable, should be 
surveyed from the standpoint of the resources of the 
department. It is assumed that at least the minimum 
organization suggested at an earlier point in our dis- 


cussion! has been agreed upon, and that the committee” 
on program of service is ready to begin its work. The 
committee should make as thorough and detailed exam- 
ination of conditions as is possible, setting down its 
findings in order that they may be brought at the 
proper time before the entire department. 
Definite plans——The second principle is that the 
program of service should be definitely outlined. Cer- 
tain definite things to be done within a specified time. 
should be decided upon by the department as a whole. 
The program should be sufficiently comprehensive to 
appeal to the interests of all the members and it should 
be sufficiently ambitious to seem a thoroughly worth- 
while undertaking, but it should not be too complex. 
It is very much better to concentrate on a few specific 
needs that challenge attention and plan definitely for 
1See pages 35-38. 
128 





OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


meeting them than to adopt a program so complex that 
it is difficult to decide where to begin. The survey 
presented by the committee to one department re- 
vealed so many unmet needs that the members of the 
department at first were dumbfounded. With so much 
to do what could the men and women of one church 
accomplish? Finally one member suggested that for 
one year one big task be undertaken—that of furnish- 
ing “Big Brothers” and “Big Sisters” on request of 
the judge of the juvenile court to as many delinquent 
children as needed sympathetic counselors. The offer 
was accepted with enthusiasm by the judge, who de- 
clared that it was the one biggest step taken in years 
toward solving the immediate problem of juvenile de- 
linquency in that city. The committee on program 
of service should have recommendations ready, but 
full discussion should be had of the complete findings 
of the committee. 

Correlation with total program.—The Adult De- 
partment, as has been frequently emphasized in our 
discussion, is an integral part of the church and the 
Church School; and in planning its program of serv- 
ice, as in all other aspects of its work, the total pro- 
gram of the church shouid be taken into account. There 
should be no competition or spirit of rivalry between 
the Adult Department and the general officers of the 
church or the church organization as a whole. The 
ideal for the Adult Department, as has been said over 
and over again, is the adult members of the church or- 
ganizing themselves the more effectively to realize the 
aims for which the church exists. When we come to 
the service program the problem becomes one of de- 

129 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION | 


ciding what forms of service can be most effectively 
undertaken by the general church organization as a 
whole, and what by the various departments. There 
should be no duplication as between departments. The 
Adult Department should give sympathetic considera- 
tion to what other departments may desire to under- 
take. : 
The annual reports of organized classes to denom- 
inational boards seem to indicate an overdeveloped 
spirit of independence at this point. Too many 
classes appear to choose their service activities with- 
out reference to what is being done by other depart- 
ments and other agencies of the church. It is quite as 
important for the Young People’s Department to have 
a systematic program of service as for the Adult De- 
partment; but there are many things for adults to do 
which young people should not be expected to do, In 
one town of fifteen thousand people an investigation 
showed vile picture shows, illegal selling of cigarettes 
to minors, several dance halls with direct rooming- 
house connections, street walking, and obscene bill- 
board advertising. These conditions, it is obvious, 
were all such as should be taken in hand only by the 
Adult Department. 


FIELDS OF SERVICE 


In the department.—The field of service immedi- 
ately at hand is the department itself. Unless the mem- 
bers have a determined purpose to realize the full 
possibilities of department organization, making the 
department all that it ought to be, they are not likely 
to make the influence of the department felt in any. 

130 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


of the other fields of possible service. At least three 
immediate service objectives within the department 
will occur to the members: (a) to maintain a standard 
department organization ;! (b) to increase the mem- 
bership; and (c) to win all members of the department 
to avowed allegiance to Christ and his way of life, and 
to membership in the church. Department organiza- 
tion and recruiting the department have already re- 
ceived attention in our discussion. At this point a 
word is in place concerning evangelism. 

The reliance of the Adult Department for the win- 
ning of its members to loyalty to Christ and his way 
of life will rest primarily on the teacher. In this de- 
partment, as in other departments of the Church 
School, the teacher is the evangelist. Our whole dis- 
cussion in this book is a plea for evangelism—for 
another and more effective kind of evangelism than 
was so largely in vogue in the churches years ago. 
The older evangelism was a partial appeal. It ap- 
pealed to the emotions and to the will, without any 
thorough attempt to inform the mind. In the edu- 
cational evangelism for which the modern Church 
School stands, the emotions and the will are not over- 
looked; but through the courses offered for study the 
needs of men and women for instruction in the prin- 
ciples and ideals of Christian living are met. The 
‘essential teachings of Christianity are interpreted. 
Thus a foundation is laid for intelligent choice and for 
an abiding loyalty. 

_ In many cases it may be found advisable, as has 





1 By “standard” organization is here meant the standard approved by the 
denomination. Address your denominational office. 


131 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


been already suggested,! to authorize a committee on 
evangelism to cooperate with the teacher in such def- 
inite ways as may be determined upon. The commit- 
tee should not be obtrusive in its work. It should 
avoid attaching to the term “evangelism” the kind of 
narrow and rigid interpretation that has sometimes 
brought it into disrepute. It should seek to develop 
that friendly, warm, spiritual atmosphere in the depart- 
ment and class sessions which will make it seem the 
perfectly normal thing for men and women to an- 
nounce their decision to follow Jesus Christ. Quietly, 
without undue advertisement, but systematically and 
persistently the committee and other members of the 
department will create opportunities of talking per- 
sonally with those who are not Christians concerning 
Jesus and his way of life—interpreting, bearing wit- 
ness, extending the invitation, and urging decision. This 
is not a new ideal; it is a return both to the original ideal 
of Protestantism and of early Christianity. Witnessing 
to the privilege and joy of fellowship with God in 
Jesus Christ, interpretation of the meaning of the 
Christian religion for life, and extending to others 
the invitation to accept Christ and engage in his serv- 
ice are the duties of every believer. In Protestantism, 
as in the early Christian Church, every Christian is 
expected to become a missionary. This should be a 
first aim in the program of service of every Adult De- 
partment. 

In the local school.—Next to the department the 
Church School as a whole is the field of service of the 
Adult Department. The relationship here is so inti- 

1See page 37. 

132 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


mate that it may almost be said that the Adult Depart- 
ment exists for the sake of the school. 
(a) Financial support—The Adult Department 
should give loyal and generous financial support to 
the school. Without such support it will be difficult 
for the school to exist. Few of the children and only 
a minority of the young people have an income of their 
own. They are dependent on their parents for the 
nickels and dimes and quarters they bring to the school. 
Their giving should be a part of their education, which 
means that they should be free to contribute to various 
worthy causes about which they know and study. The 
school accordingly is dependent on the adults for the 
money it needs for its support. This dependence 
should be freely and gladly acknowledged. In an in- 
‘creasing number of churches the Church School shares 
in the general budget of the church. There is no bet- 
ter plan than this, and it should be much more widely 
adopted. Where this plan does not prevail, the Adult 
Department should be expected to furnish the requisite 
funds. The Adult Department that unwillingly or 
grudgingly acknowledges this obligation or reserves 
to its own separate treasury the major part of 
) the offerings of its members exemplifies a most un- 
worthy type of selfishness and is deserving of severest 
censure. 

In addition to contributions of money for general 
| Support there are two major lines of service to the 
| school which should receive emphasis: 
| (b) Facilities and equipment—The Adult Depart- 
| ment, as such, should assist in providing the facilities 
and equipment needed by the other departments of 
133 











ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


the school. The adults should take the initiative in 
providing departmental rooms for the elementary and ~ 
secondary departments. They should see that the in-~ 
itial equipment needed for these departments is sup- 
plied, and that this equipment is renewed and supple- 
mented from year to year as may be required. The : 
spirit of chivalry and Christian courtesy which has be- ~ 
come so deeply inwrought in social custom—women — 
and children first—should here find its finest exempli- 
fication. It seems a strange and inexplicable phenom- ~ 
enon to see some strong Adult Departments or classes ~ 
taking possession of the largest and best equipped | 
rooms of the church plant, crowding Intermediate, 
Junior, and Primary Departments into kitchen and ~ 
basement rooms. Yet just this situation may be seen — 
to-day in many churches. f 

(c) Provision for social and recreational needs.— 





The Adult Department should cooperate in furnishing | 
adequate provision for the social and recreational | 
needs of the other departments of the school. This | 
service should take the form both of providing ma-_ 
terial equipment and needed leadership. The require-— 
ments of the other departments will vary widely in~ 
different communities, depending on what is being 
done by other agencies. In some communities gym-_ 
nasiums, playgrounds, swimming pools, and abundant — 
provision for social good times will be found already 
to exist apart from the church. In other communities 
it will be found advisable for the church to provide all 
of these. The Adult Department should be keenly 
alive to the situation and consider this as one of the 
most significant possible lines of service. 


134 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


In the local church.—The conception of the Adult 
Department set forth in our discussion is that of all 
the adults of the church grouped into a department the 
better to meet certain needs and attain certain ob- 
jectives. The Adult Department, then, is not some- 
thing apart from the church; it is the adult church. 
Just as the field of service most immediately at hand is 
the department itself, the next nearest field is the 
church as a whole. What can the adult church do for 
the whole church? 

(a) Church service of worship—The public service 
of worship is a service of the entire church. If, how- 
ever, the public service is to be representative of the 
entire church, and if, in addition, it is to be attended 
by those outside the membership of the church whom 
it should reach and help, special interest and ef- 
fort will be required. The Adult Department should 
use systematic means of securing the attendance of all 
members upon the public service and increasing the 
attendance of nonmembers. The various definite ways 
of accomplishing this may not here be discussed in 
detail. What is emphasized is that this should be 
made one of the main objectives in the program of 
service. Just as the pastor should be expected to take 
an interest in the Adult Department, announce its 
sessions, urge the congregation to attend, and coop- 
erate in all its work, so the interests of the public serv- 
ice should be made one of the principal service ob- 
jectives of the department. 

(b) Trained church workers—The Adult Depart- 
ment should provide trained workers for all depart- 
ments of the church. The training of teachers and 

135 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


leaders we have stated to be one of the principal ob- — 
jectives of the program of study. The obligation 
actually to supply these workers to other departments 
should have a definite place among the objectives of 
the Adult Department. At this point, again, the de- 
partment is put to the test of sacrificing its own seem- 
ing good for the interests of others. “I must decrease, © 
that the other departments may increase,” is its law 
of life. 

In the home.—The next field of service, in order, 
is to be found in the homes of the members of the 
church and congregation. 

(a) Systematic visiting—The Adult Department 
should plan systematically for the visitation of the 
homes of all the members of the church and congrega- 
tion. The church is a fellowship. We have defined it 
as a company or society of people who, seeking to de- 
velop the life of fellowship with God as Father and 
with all men as brothers, have associated themselves 
together for the promotion of this fellowship. This — 
fellowship cannot be sufficiently promoted merely by 
formal meetings in the church building on Sunday and 
occasional other days of the week. The members must 
meet one another in their homes on terms of intimate 
association and friendship. The more informal this 
is, the more effectively its objective will be attained. 
The purpose is not a formal social call to be reported 
as the fulfillment of a duty; it is spiritual fellowship. 
But unless an element of systematic planning is pres- 
ent, there will be some who will be almost inevit- 
ably overlooked. For this reason it is necessary that 
visiting shall be made a definite item in the program. 

136 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


First among those to be regularly visited should be 
named the sick, the physically infirm, and the aged. 
Too often we are prone to overlook and neglect the 
spiritual well-being and the need for fellowship of 
those who by age or invalidism are shut in by the con- 
fines of home. The service of the department to the 
homebound is a blessed ministry upon the importance 
of which too much stress cannot be placed. In the past 
the organization for this service most often has taken 
the form of the Home Department. Since those served 
are adults, members of the adult church, an additional 
department would not seem to be necessary. The most 
important point, however, is that the service shall be 
provided for as a part of the program. It is not 
enough that the periodical provided by the denomina- 
tion for the homebound shall be carried to the home 
by a visitor once in three months, an offering received, 
and the person visited engaged in a few moments of 
conversation. Visitation should represent the organ- 
ization and enrichment by lay members of the pastoral 
function. It should not only be regular and system- 
atic; it should be frequent, and it should have definite 
spiritual aims. It should be inspired by Christ’s in- 
junction: “. . . heal the sick . . . and say unto them, 
The kingdom of God has come nigh unto you.” There 
should be free and intimate conversation on spiritual 
themes, and the definite purpose on the part of the 
visitor to offer the interpretation of experience, the 
comfort and exhortation, the advice and counsel, the 
hope and cheer, that the one visited needs at that par- 
ticular time. There should be the closest possible cor- 
relation and cooperation between the pastor and the 

137 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


visitors of the department. They should counsel often | 


together, definitely discussing particular cases, consid- 


ering what spiritual ministry 1s needed and how it may ~ 


be given. 


The plain fact is that in thousands of our churches ~ 


the visitation of the aged, the infirm, and the sick 


is grievously neglected. In many cases the pastor — 


does all the calling that is done. Aged and invalid — 


people wait longingly, day after day and week after 
week, without any fellow member of the church com- 
ing in with a message of cheer and comfort. ‘There 
are numerous institutions in which ministry to the 
sick is much better organized than by the church. This 


ought not to be. There can be little doubt that poor — 
relief was thoroughly organized in the early church. — 


Sick benefits are as old as the apostle Paul. The 


early church, poor in worldly resources, was rich in 
social and spiritual ministries of this description. The 


need for attention to them by the church still exists. 


The working out of a plan may well be considered one © 


of the first obligations of the Adult Department. 


(b) Home religion—The Adult Department should i 
seek to promote by definite means the religious life — 


of the home. The home is the primary unit in a Chris- 
tian society. Without a sense of responsibility on the 


part of parents for the moral and religious nurture of — 


their children, a religious atmosphere in the home, and 


such religious observances as grace at meals, religious — 
conversation, and home worship both church and | 


school in very many cases will fail in the religious edu- | 


cation of the children whom they enroll. The Adult 


Department can do much in the cultivation of the © 


138 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


needed sense of parental responsibility by arranging 
for brief addresses as a part of its Sunday program, 
by circulating available literature on the subject,! and 
by informing parents concerning materials for their 
use in family worship.? 

(c) Good reading—The Adult Department should 
promote the circulation of good literature. The de- 
partment may cooperate with the pastor in the cir- 
culation of religious periodicals. It may take over the 
program for the observance each year of Good Liter- 
ature Day. It may procure and distribute book lists 
of the best books, old and new. It may inaugurate a 
book table in its department room, keeping on display 
an assortment of books in the various fields of reading 
and study. Publishing houses will be found ready to 
cooperate in such a plan, and good books in the homes 
of the church may be thus multiplied. Members of the 
department may be enrolled in a reading course on 
some subject of cultural or definitely religious educa- 
tional value. In these and allied ways the reading of 
good literature may be largely increased. 

In the community.—The program of service of the 
Adult Department should not be limited to the imme- 
diate fields of school and church. The church exists 
to serve the entire community. The preliminary sur- 
vey of conditions should reveal the most urgent needs, 


1 Practically all the denominational boards furnish free, upon application, 
pamphlet literature on religion in the home, bibliographies on the religious 
nurture of children, and other assistance. Address your denominational board. 

2 Many families feel the need for material for use in family worship. Some 
of the more recent manuals are: A Book of Worship: For Use at Table on 
Every Day of the Year, Barclay, The Abingdon Press, New York, 1923; A 
Book of Family Worship, The Presbyterian Board of Publication and Sabbath 
School Work, Philadelphia, 1916; A Book of Family Worship, Nicoll, George 
H. Doran & Co., New York, 1915. 


139 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


some of which will certainly present opportunities for 
department service. In practically every community 
service in the following fields will be urgently needed. 

(a) Child welfare —TVhe Adult Department should 
seek to discover and to meet community needs in the 
field of child welfare. Such inquiries as these should 
be made: Is the maximum amount of moral protec- — 
tion afforded childhood? Are the laws affecting child 
welfare enforced throughout the community? For 
example, are public pool rooms and other undesirable 
places of commercialized amusement open to minors? 
Is gambling by boys permitted in public places? Are 
cigarettes sold to minors? Are children employed in 
factories, mills, or other places in violation of the 
child-labor laws of the State? Are immoral or other- 
wise improper films being shown in theaters patron- 
ized by children? What agencies are at work in the 
community for the prevention of delinquency among 
children? Is there a juvenile court? If not, why 
not? | 

(b) Cooperation with social-service agencies-—The 
Adult Department should represent the church in co- _ 
operation with other social-service agencies. Too 
often there is no provision by the local church, as | 
such, for such cooperation. Whatever these organ- 
izations may be, whether the associated charities, the 
juvenile court, orphans’ homes, or any other, this 
active church cooperation is almost always desired, 
and there is every reason why it should be given. 

(c) Civic action—The Adult Department should 
seek opportunities for service in the field of civic 
action. This service should perhaps be personal in 

140 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


some cases rather than officially in the name of the 
department. However this may be, the department 
as such should consider the existing needs. Is the ele- 
mentary machinery of government in the hands of 
Christian people? Are men of high moral ideals nom- 
inated and elected to office? Do the officials who are 
standing for law enforcement and for the moral and 
physical improvement of the community have reason to 
feel that the church is doing all that it can in coop- 
eration? These and other similar questions should 
receive earnest consideration. 

(d) Immigrants and others-——The Adult Depart- 


_ ment should seek to serve the neglected racial groups 


in the community. In some communities there are 
immigrants for whom nothing is being done in a reli- 


gious way. A beginning may be made by establishing 


See 


classes for the teaching of English,! this language in- 
struction affording an opportunity for friendly con- 


tact and for a religious ministry. In other commu- 


nities. there are others than immigrants who very 
greatly need the sympathetic counsel and aid of Chris- 
tian men and women. 

In the world field—The plans of the various de- 
nominations differ with regard to the support of the 
world missionary enterprise and cooperation with mis- 
sionaries abroad. In addition to individual contribu- 
tions to the support of missions in accord with the 
plans of the denomination and of the local church it 
may be possible for the Adult Department, as such, to 
undertake some definite form of world service. 

1Among the courses now available for this purpose are Early Songs and 


Stories, Barnes; English and Citizenship, White and Owen; Civics for Coming 
Americans, Roberts. 


I4I 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


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OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


(a) Cooperation with missionary agencies —Just as 
the Adult Department may undertake to stimulate the 
interest of people in the public service of worship and 
to increase the attendance, so also it may seek by spe- 
cial means to develop the interest of the members in 
the world service of the church. In doing this it will 
be consciously cooperating with whatever distinctive 
missionary agencies may exist in the local church. It 
may provide mission study courses as a part of its 
program of study and training; arrange for special ad- 
dresses by missionaries and others on various aspects 
of missions; circulate missionary literature and stim- 
ulate the reading of books on missions and mission 
lands; present missionary pageants, and in numerous 
_ other ways contribute to the development of an intel- 
 ligent interest in Christian missions. 

(b) Maintain a representative abroad.—Without in- 
terfering with the support of the pastor in the for- 
eign field, if the local church has such, or with what- 
ever workers may be supported by the various 
missionary organizations of the local church, it may be 
possible for the Adult Department to maintain a repre- 
sentative in the field abroad. Such a representative 
might be either a missionary pastor or teacher, a 
physician or other special worker, or a native teacher 
or evangelist. Whoever he is and whatever his work, 
regular communications should be sent and received 
which, together with reports of his work, should be 
read in the department session, in order that a personal 
bond may be established and maintained. It should 
be made very clear that support of such a representa- 
tive by the department should not interfere with con- 
143 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


tributions by the members of the department as indi- 
viduals to the denominational program of benevolence 
through the officially recognized channels of local 
church support. 

(c) Giving to special enterprises—Often a special 
appeal comes from some mission field for money to — 
meet an emergency need. The Adult Department may 
be the one organization of the local church which 
can most fittingly answer the call. There should be > 
no hesitancy about offering men and women frequent 
opportunities of contributing money to worthy objects. 
The time of many is so taken up that little opportunity 
remains for personal service. In any case it should 
be remembered that the prevailing scale of giving is 
very low, that increased giving would be a means of 
grace, and that often those who object to financial 
appeals are the very persons who need to give more 
for their own soul’s health. 

When the Adult Department has formulated its pro- 
gram of service and adopted definite objectives for — 
the year, the program should be charted and placed | 
in a conspicuous place in the department room. 


A CASE IN PoINT 


As evidence that such a program as has been out- 
lined is not impracticable, the following report of an 
Adult Department is cited. Others equally compre- 
hensive might be given if space permitted. 

Adult Department report.—“Our department, fol- 
lowing the suggestion made in your course a year ago, 
has planned a program of service in the Sunday school, © 
the church, and the community. We expect to extend 

144 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


our program during the next twelve months. In the 
field of the Sunday school the department maintains 
a parent-teacher club that is very active. The depart- 
ment also has taken responsibility for the work- 
ers’ conference. The officers and teachers come 
directly from their places of employment to the 
supper. One of our members, elected by the de- 
partment, is supervisor of home-study classes. She is 
a fine organizer and is doing a great deal in develop- 
ing class groups of neighborhood Bible classes. As a 
service to the church the department has undertaken 
as its objective for the year to intensify the religious 
life of the church. On one week of every month the 
department is responsible for the prayer meeting, in- 
viting the entire church membership, following the 
_ devotional meeting with a musical program and later 
serving light refreshments. This has accomplished a 
great deal toward bringing all the people of the church 
together in religious and social fellowship. In the field 
of the community the department has accepted respon- 
sibility for providing for and supervising a recrea- 
tional program for all boys and girls of junior, inter- 
mediate, and senior age. A community playground 
has been provided for juniors, and a playground 
schedule with supervision arranged. Troops of Camp 
Fire Girls and Boy Scouts have been organized, 
and leaders furnished. In addition to these activities, 
which have both increased the interest and the mem- 
bership, the department has certain departmental 
benevolences and also departmental dues—a small 
sum monthly from each member which forms a fund 
that is used wherever needed.” 
145 


THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


For Group DIscussion 


1. Why may an Adult Department without a pro- 
gram of service not be efficient as an agency of reli- © 
gious education? | 

2. What is meant by applied Bible study? | 

3. What are the guiding principles to be observed 
in organizing an Adult Department program of — 
service? 

4. What are the service objectives of such a pro- 
gram within the department? 

5. What should the Adult Department be expected 
to do for the Church School? For the church? 

6. In what ways may the department serve the ~ 
homes of the church and the congregation? 

7. How should the Adult Department serve the 
community? The world field? 


For WRITTEN WorK 


1. What have the adults of your church done in the © 
past in the way of a systematic program of service? 

2. What proportion of the adults of your church 
can be enlisted more effectively in a program of service 
than in a program of study? 4 

3. Which is the predominant thought among the 
adults of your church: that the community should © 
serve the church through supporting it financially and — 
otherwise, or that the church exists to serve the com- — 
munity ? 

4. To what extent does the Adult Department (or — 
do the adult classes) of your church recognize an 
obligation to supply teachers and leaders to the other 
departments ? 

5. What definite forms of community service has 
your church undertaken in recent years? 


146 


CHAPTER IX 


ORGANIZING THE SOCIAL AND 
RECREATIONAL PROGRAM 


A BASIC conception in this discussion is that reli- 
gion is related to the whole of man’s nature. Salva- 
tion in the Christian sense concerns the entire man. 
It has often been interpreted in terms of saving the 
“soul,” but the soul which it is the business of reli- 
gion to save is not some mysterious part of man, hid- 
den away in an obscure corner of his body, but man 
himself, and the whole man at that. As religion has 
to do with the whole man, religious education should 
concern itself with the entire personality—not merely 
with the intellect, as has sometimes been mistakenly 
supposed, nor with the head plus the “heart” in the 
narrow sense in which good people sometimes use the 
word. The object of religious education ts the fullest 
possible development of the complete personality. This 
clearly involves a ministry to the whole round of 
man’s physical, social, and mental needs. It follows 
that the Adult Department, as the agency immediately 
concerned with adult men and women, can do no less 
than undertake a ministry to the whole life. 


THE PROBLEM OF RECREATION 


Doubtless the word “problem” has been overworked 
in recent years, but they are few who would take ex- 
147 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


ception to its use in connection with the recreations 
both of young people and adults. Recreation is indeed 
a problem—a problem of many aspects of which only 
a few may here be pointed out. 

Increase of leisure time.—For adults recreation is 
necessarily marginal time occupation. With children 
play is the serious business of life, but with adults 
the necessity of earning a living crowds play and rec- 
reation into leisure-time hours. Increase of the hours 
of leisure has brought to the forefront the question of 
how marginal time may be most profitably used. Its 
importance has probably never been better stated than 
in these words of Maeterlinck: “The bulk of mankind | 
will know days when labor will become less incessant — 
and exhausting, less material, tyrannical, pitiless. 
What use will humanity make of this leisure? On its © 
employment may be said to depend the whole destiny — 


of man. It is the way in which hours of freedom are ~ 


spent that determines, as much as war or as labor, the © 
moral worth of a nation. It raises or lowers, it re- — 
plenishes or exhausts.” The reason for this is not 
far to seek. In leisure there is opportunity for the 
spontaneous expression of interests. Most of the © 
work of adults is laid out for them; there is no chance — 
for choice; they work according to rule. In leisure 
people have free choice; they may do what they will, 
and their choice becomes the determination of char- — 
acter. 

Popular demand for recreation.—Probably the — 
most obvious fact in connection with the whole prob- — 
lem of recreation is the fixed determination of the — 
vast majority of people to seek amusement and social 

148 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


pleasure. Moved by an instinctive urge, whether with 
or without an intelligent conception of the values in- 
volved, both men and women demand some form of 
recreation. The immense financial receipts of the 
commercialized amusement agencies—the “movies,” 
the theaters, the pool rooms and billiard halls, the 
amusement parks, and others—are a testimony to this 
popular demand that cannot be gainsaid. 

Shall it be “for revenue only” ?—The recognition 
of these facts has resulted in the clear emergence of 
a challenge which now confronts all of the agencies 
concerned with social betterment. Shall the insatiable 
desire of men and women for amusement, the univer- 
sal popular demand for social pleasure and for’ rec- 
reation, be ministered to by commercial agencies “for 
revenue only,” or shall the social welfare institutions 
make a systematic, adequate attempt to meet these 
fundamental needs of human life—using simple, 
wholesome, interesting forms of amusement and rec- 
reation as means of developing the body, cultivating 
the mind, and promoting social welfare? To-day the 
vast majority of all the amusement and recreational 
facilities are in the hands of people who have little 
concern about the physical, moral, and social effects 
of what they sell. They are in the amusement and 
recreational business for what they can make out of 
it. Financial gain, not the higher values, dictates 
standards. The problem, to state it in slightly dif- 
ferent form, is whether the institutions of social wel- 
fare shall remain content to see the increasing leisure 
time of the American people spent destructively in 
ways promotive of low ideals, dissoluteness, immoral- 

149 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


ity, extravagance, debauchery, and physical deteriora- 
tion, or shall engage actively in providing means of 
recreation that will make it possible for people to spend 
their leisure time in ways which satisfy fundamental 
needs and contribute to development of personality. 
The problem is not one which the church alone faces 
—for it confronts all social welfare agencies, but it 
is one which the church cannot evade. 


THE CHURCH AND RECREATION 


Traditional attitude of the church.—The tra- 
ditional attitude of the church toward amusement and 
recreation has been that of condemnation. It has 
tended to include all forms of recreation, social enter- — 
tainment, and amusement in the category of “sinful 
pleasures,’ and to place all alike under the ban. It 
has commonly attributed the desire for amusement to 
the natural perverseness of human nature—the “sinful — 
desires of the flesh’—and has called upon its members 
to renounce these desires. It has often condemned 
participation in all forms of play and recreation as 
“worldly” and has bidden its members “come out 
from among them and be ye separate.” Often it has 
advised men and women to find enjoyment solely in 
spiritual exercises and has interpreted these chiefly 
in terms of attending religious meetings, singing 
hymns, and engaging in a ministry of mercy and help. 

The negative attitude of the church has not been 
without reason. In the early centuries of the Chris- | 
tian era popular amusements were characterized by 
serious excesses and were highly detrimental to 
morals. In that period the church did not possess 

150 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


either the numbers or the influence to effect immediate 
changes in social customs. It could determine the 
attitude of its own members toward such customs, 
and out of that determination comes the modern nega- 
tive attitude as one of many heritages from the past. 

A changing attitude—Gradually, however, the 
church has been developing a new attitude. Wuithout 
abating its condemnation of forms of amusement that 
are morally injurious it has been increasingly making 
a place for play and recreation in the normal program 
of human life. Various influences have contributed 
to this changing attitude, one of which has been the 
scientific study of human nature, revealing as it has 
the values of recreation in restoring depleted powers. 
It has been found that, other factors being equal, man 
is at his best morally when he is one hundred per cent 
physically, and that recreation is an important means 
of keeping fit. 

There is concrete evidence that the evangelical 
churches are more and more realizing the responsi- 
bility of broadening their activities to include a min- 
istry to the recreational needs of adults. The prox- 
imity of a concentration camp during the war stimu- 
lated a church in Brooklyn to open its doors on week 
evenings to provide social good times for the boys in 
khaki and blue. Some of the members of the church 
were so impressed with the value of the service that 
they made over a large basement room into a delight- 
ful club center for the young men and young women 
of the community. A San Francisco church has made 
its building a community recreational center. A 
church in Seattle has planned a comprehensive pro- 

151 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


gram of recreational activities. A community house 
in Mount Cleméns, Michigan, is utilized by a men’s 
organized Bible class for social meetings with a varied 
program of games. Many churches in recent years 
have built parish houses, some of them with gym- 
nasiums that are open throughout the week. While 
these examples indicate that a beginning is being made 
they represent, with all other similar cases, only a 
slight beginning. Thousands of Protestant churches 
still stand silent and unused six days and nights of the 
week, save for a prayer meeting for an hour on 
Wednesday or Thursday night. Meanwhile, the streets 
on which these churches are located are thronged every 
evening with multitudes of men and women who are 
patronizing commercialized amusements as the only 
available means of satisfying wholesome instinctive 
desires. 


An objection within reason.—The objection to a_ 


social and recreational program that now has most 


force and one which must be admitted to be within © 
reason is that the church cannot do everything, and for 
it to attempt a social and recreational ministry means | 


in practice that the distinctly religious ministry which 


it is the highest obligation of the church to provide © 
will be impaired. It would be better, it is said, for 
the church to concentrate on definitely religious work — 
than for its religious ministry to be weakened by a 
too ambitious program. The alternative, it is sug- — 


gested, is to leave the meeting of the social and recrea- 


tional needs of people to other agencies more definitely 


specializing in this service. There are two answers 
to be made to this objection. The first is that such a 
152 





OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


plan inevitably results in a divided loyalty: the insti- 
tution which ministers to the social and recreational 
needs of adults will have the strongest loyalty of a 
considerable proportion of them. The second and 
more fundamental answer is that the human person- 
ality is one: it cannot be divided into separate elements. 
Life is lived as a whole, not in compartments. The 
elemental human needs cannot be sharply divided into 
religious and nonreligious. All needs of the human 
personality have their religious aspect. The first and 
simplest of all needs—the need for food—is in a very 
real sense a religious need. Without food the body 
cannot serve the spirit. The corollary of this is that 
there is no set of ministries or forms of service that 
are within themselves exclusively religious. The 
church is engaged in religious work when it maintains 
a prayer meeting. It is likewise engaged in religious 
work when it provides a wholesome recreational pro- 
gram for men and women who would otherwise be 
without needed recreation. 

A tragic situation.—The ban against play and rec- 
reation having been removed, many churches have 
fallen victims to the lure of commercialism. They 
see in the new freedom of their members only the 
chance for the church to make easy money with which 
to help pay its bills. Their whole conception of a 
social and recreational program appears to be an eve- 
ning of social fellowship or a church “feed” three or 
four times a year at 35 or 50 cents per head. In some 
places, if the church is very exclusive, it comes 
higher—one dollar, or even one dollar and a half, 
a plate. When one considers the dull, monotonous, 

153 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


hard routine of life of many people, both men and 
women, within the membership and constituency of 
the church the situation is revealed as tragic. Many 
are entirely without wholesome recreation of any kind. 
They have few or no intimate acquaintances outside 
the circle of their immediate relatives. They have no 
social diversions of any kind. Their lives are a cease- 
less round of unending labor. They know nothing 
of the stimulus of wholesome fun, the relief from bur- 
dens of care which results from physical recreation, 
the recovery from nervous fatigue and renewal of 
hope and faith which comes from free, happy mingling 
with others in innocent, mirth-provoking plays and 
games. 

The need is particularly acute in rural communities. 
The Council of Churches of one of our central States 
has recently made a survey of social institutions in the 
1,272 rural communities (“trade area” communities, 
as they are called) of the State. The proportion of 
the total number of communities in this State which ~ 
have the prevailing forms of social institutions or 
activities is as follows: grange, 69 per cent; lodge or 
other fraternal society, 55; pool hall, 42; annual Chau- 
tauqua or lyceum course, 33; open societies or clubs, 
26; moving picture theaters, 23; band, 22; orchestra, 
19; public dance hall, 19; annual home-coming festi- 
val, 10; parent-teacher association, 9; annual com- 
munity picnic or festival, 9; local library, 7; farmers’ 
or community club, 7; annual corn, fruit or dairy 
show, 6; community chorus or singing society, 6; com- 
munity fair, 5. While this is by no means an ex- 
haustive list of social and recreational activities rep- 

154 





OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


resented, it is sufficiently comprehensive to indicate the 
prevailing social and recreational poverty of rural 
communities. 

A providential movement.—The Adult Department 
comes into the life of the church just at the time when 
it is greatly needed. This form of organization to 
which we have been forced by the development of 
grading in the Church School is providential. It is 
peculiarly fitted to meet this newly recognized need. 
The Adult Department as such bears no heavy financial 
obligation. It is not required that the department 
should raise the pastor’s salary, contribute to the up- 
keep of the church property, or refurnish the church 
building. Its members as individuals care for these 
responsibilities. The Adult Department is a part of 
the Church School—the church organized for religious 
education—and as such it may rightfully assume re- 
sponsibility for the social and recreational program for 
adults. In doing so it is utilizing one of the essential 
means of fulfilling its educational ministry. 


DETERMINING PRINCIPLES 


In considering how to organize the social and recrea- 
tional program certain principles should be deter- 
minative. 

Ascertain community needs.—First the needs of 
the community should be ascertained. This will necessi- 
tate the careful listing of all the agencies in the com- 
munity which offer opportunities for amusement, play, 
social enjoyment, and recreation. The program should 
be both constructive and destructive in purpose. Its 


1See Adult Religious Education, Barclay, Chapter IX. 
155 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


aim should be both provision for wholesome recrea- 
tion and the elimination of unwholesome agencies. On 
this account it is not enough merely to enumerate the 
existing agencies. Each should be thoroughly inves- 
tigated and classified as to its influence on the basis 
of some such principles as these: (1) Is the environ- 
ment physically and morally wholesome? (2) Do 
high moral and ethical standards control in the man- 
agement? (3) Do the forms of recreation provided 
promote health and physical fitness? (4) Are they 
morally wholesome in their direct and indirect influ- 
ence? (5) Are they suited both to men and to women? 

Utilize existing agencies.——Usually the church © 
should not duplicate or enter into competition with — 
existing agencies in the community. Its policy, rather, © 
should be one of cooperation and of endeavor to pro- | 
. vide for unmet needs. In some cases it may be possi- 
ble to enter into a cooperative working agreement with | 
existing organizations—the Y. M. ©. A. and Y. W. — 
C. A., Community Service, Inc., community clubs, or | 
other local institutions, or systematically to take ad- — 
vantage of public recreational facilities. Municipal — 
support of recreation has been steadily increasing in — 
recent years. In the ten years, 1913-1923, the number 
of cities in the United States reporting community © 
recreation leadership increased from 342 to 680. — 
These 680 cities maintain 6,601 community centers — 
and playgrounds.1. The annual expenditures for pub- 3 
lic recreation increased in the same period from — 

1For example, a city in the Southwest may be cited that maintains swim- _ 
ming baths in various parts of the city, band concerts nightly during the 


summer months in several parks, municipal golf links, and supervised play- 
grounds in proximity to all public schools. 


156 





OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


$5,700,223 to $13,948,054. A large proportion of this 
expenditure is for juvenile recreation but increasingly 
the movement tends to take cognizance of the needs 
_ of adults as well as of children. The churches can do 
much toward stimulating and guiding municipal pro- 
grams of recreation. 

Adapt the program.—A standardized program 
suited to churches of all sizes and all types is an im- 
possibility. A program adapted to a suburban church 
obviously would not be suited to a church set down 
in the midst of a polyglot population in the heart of a 
great city. A program planned for a large city church 
could not be carried out in a small village or rural 
church. 

_ Distinguish between amusement and recreation. 
—It is important for those who are responsible for 
the recreational program to distinguish clearly between 
amusement and recreation. Amusement is simply 
pleasurable diversion and is predominantly passive. 
Recreation involves pleasurable diversion but includes 
as its essential element that which refreshes and recre- 
ates. Too often this distinction is not made and the 
program is planned merely to entertain or amuse the 
participants. For some adults whose occupations pro- 
vide activity for both body and mind passive recrea- 
tion may be most beneficial. For the majority of 
adults forms of recreation which involve merely pas- 
sive reception are undesirable. They need instead ac- 
tive participation. To realize the values of recrea- 
tion they must themselves become participants, not 
remain mere spectators. From the beginning of adult 
life there is a tendency for both men and women to 
157 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


become physically less active. Intensifying this nat-_ 
ural tendency, business and social interests encroach 
upon physical activities. The immense development 
of popular interest in professional baseball in recent 
years and the increase of attendance at theaters and 
moving picture shows in part illustrate this tendency. 
The social and recreational program has a far more 
important function than merely to provide amusement 
and entertainment. If it is what it ought to be, it 1s 
an essential part of the church program of religious 
education. 

Another point, related to the foregoing, needs to be 
guarded. In some situations there will be a tendency 
to overstress the social phase of the program. The 
Adult Department should not be suffered to become 
merely a social club. The program should minister 
to the need of members of the department for enter- 
tainment and social fellowship, but social entertain- 
ment should not be permitted to become a chief ob- 
jective. 

Protect spirit and character of program.—The 
entire program should be in accord with the ideals” 
and purposes of the Christian Church. Vulgarity and 
cheapness, rowdiness and crudeness should be banned. 
Courtesy and refinement should rule. There is no 
place in a church program for anything that is irrev- 
erent or that in any way approaches the vulgar or that 
is in word or form suggestive of the sensual. There 
should be no attempt to compete with those commer- 
cial agencies that appeal to the baser elements in hu- 
man nature. Consideration for the feelings of others 
should be constantly in evidence. Snobbishness and 

158 





OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


social cliques are contrary to the Christian spirit. De- 
termining factors in the formulation of the program 
should be the educational values and the moral and 
religious qualities of the particular forms of recrea- 
tion which it is possible to provide under prevailing 
conditions. Certain events may be included simply for 
the fun which they offer, for wholesome fun in itself 
has a spiritual value, but such events should not be a 
predominating element. Certain forms of recreation 
have much greater intrinsic educational values than 
others. These, of course, should predominate in the 
church’s program of religious education. 

Insure comprehensiveness of program.—lIt is es- 
sential that the program shall be comprehensive in 
scope. The objective is a program that appeals to the 
entire adult group and that makes provision for the 
needs of all. Merely one or two forms of recreation 
are insufficient. Variety is required for the sake of 
breadth of appeal. People have different tastes in 
recreation as in food, and forms of recreation which 
appeal strongly to some may not be as attractive to 
others as certain other forms equally meritorious. 
Bowling, for example, has distinct physical value but 
there are many who do not care for it who are fond of 
playing volley ball or indoor baseball. Wisdom is 
needed at this point because of the tendency of leaders 
to be governed only by their own preferences. 

The program should be comprehensive not only for 
the sake of breadth of appeal but also that it may in- 
clude a fair proportion of all possible values—physi- 
cal, intellectual, and social. It should not be a one- 
sided program but should minister as far as is possible 

159 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


in a recreational program to all of the needs of the 


complete adult life. 
Again, the program should include provision not 


merely for one season but for the entire year with © 


specific plans for each month. Certain types of rec- 
reation are adapted solely to the summer; other types 
will be more popular in winter. Forms of recreation 


change with the seasons just as kind and amount of @ 
clothing. A program to be successful should not only 
schedule various forms of recreation for all seasons ~ 


but also take account of the seasonal appeal. There 
are few communities in which a lecture or a concert 


can be made to draw a large attendance in summer or 


early fall unless perchance it may be given an out- — 


door setting—a tent or a natural amphitheater. 


Provide for the needs of groups.—Under normal - 


conditions a major part of the program should be car- 


ried out by the department as a whole, but need will 


also exist at times for activities planned by and for 


special class groups within the department. Particu-_ 


larly in the case of permanent class groups will need 
be felt for class activities. Recreation will be found 


to have special values as a means of developing the 


spirit of fellowship within a class. A group of men 
who go on a hunting, fishing, or camping trip together 
will develop more real comradeship in ten days than 


in a year of weekly class sessions. 


SoME DETAILS OF ADMINISTRATION 


Plan of organization.—The general administration 
of the social and recreational program should be in 
the hands of the director of recreation, with the co~ 


160 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


operation of the committee on social and recreational 
program, or of special committees as deemed best.1 
The needs of the situation will determine the 
details of organization. Some churches now have 
a director of social and recreational life who is charged 
with responsibility for the organization and admin- 
istration of the entire recreational program of the 
church. In some cases the responsibility of such an 
officer will be confined to children and young people. 
In any event the form of organization within the 
Adult Department and the details of the program 
should be worked out in conference with him. Like- 
wise, it is important that the program of the depart- 
ment should be carefully correlated with that of the 
Young People’s and other departments of the Church 
School. 

Sharing the responsibility—The chairman of the 
committee on social and recreational program should 
share the responsibility of leadership. A frequent 
mistake is for the chairman to take too much upon him- 
self. The detailed planning of particular events and 
the carrying out of the plans should be divided among 
the maximum number of persons. Only in this way 
can the program be made as comprehensive and varied 
as is desirable. For the widely different events of a 
comprehensive program a variety of talents is re- 
quired. A successful leader of team games might be 
an utter failure in putting on a lecture or debate, or 
vice versa. There are certain qualities of personality 
and character necessary in all leaders in the educa- 
tional program of the church—enthusiasm, moral 


1See page 37. 
161 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


earnestness, ability to lead, and a genuine spirit of 


Christian brotherliness. Beyond this elemental equip- — 


ment, interest and skill in the particular form of rec- — 


reation to be promoted should be sought, with the 
realization always in mind that leadership is one of 
the most important methods of training and that the 


objective is ever the training of the maximum number 


of persons. 
The problem of equipment.—Physical equipment 


is not the first essential in the social and recreational — 
program, nor is physical equipment alone ever a guar- — 
antee of a successful program. Some churches have © 
invested large amounts of money in parish houses with © 


elaborate equipment only to find that the equipment 


remains unused. Leadership, not equipment, is the ~ 


prime need. Given an appreciation of the value of a 


a 


social and recreational program and an understanding ~ 


of the elements of a successful program, the problems 
of equipment are in a fair way to being solved. 

A first requisite is, of course, a room that is avail- 
able for social and recreational purposes. If at all 
possible, this should be other than the church audi- 
torium. While many churches do not now have such 
a room, there are comparatively few where provision 
for such is an impossibility. Frequently it will be 
necessary for the Adult Department to share a social 
room with the Young People’s Department and possi- 
bly other departments of the Church School. The 
social room may be equipped and furnished by the 
department. It should be made cosy and homelike in 


atmosphere, with floor coverings, fireplace, table, 


piano, bookcase, games, and magazines. If there is a 


: 


) 
f 


Li 


| 
| 
| 


162 5 


, 


OF THE ADULT, DEPARTMENT 


gymnasium, it should be used in common by all de- 
partments. A systematic schedule should be arranged 
so that each department using the room shall have the 
exclusive use of it at certain periods of each week. 
Experience has shown this to be important. If the 
periods of any two departments overlap or are iden- 
tical, there will be a considerable proportion of each 
age-group who will go elsewhere for their recreation. 

A room should also be provided for pageants, dra- 
matics, lectures, and entertainments. For these a 
stage is desirable. It is not necessary for this to be 
a separate room. One room, properly planned, may 
serve both as a social room and as a room for enter- 
tainments. Or a single room may serve the purposes 
of a gymnasium and an entertainment room. 

It is unnecessary in this connection to describe in 
detail the architectural requirements, furnishings and 
equipment of rooms adapted to these various purposes. 
Churches planning either to build or to rebuild should 
go into these problems very carefully, as it is both 
easy and common for mistakes to be made that are 
expensive and that interfere seriously with the success 
of the social and recreational program. 

For outdoor recreation where for any reason the 
church grounds are unavailable use may be made of 
nearby parks, playgrounds, or vacant lots or fields. 
It is seldom necessary for a church to purchase prop- 
erty for recreational use. 


Types oF RECREATION 


Those responsible for the department program 
should provide themselves with books that contain rec- 
163 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


reational programs, games and social plans.t Within 
the limited compass of this chapter it is possible only 
to describe briefly the principal types of recreation 
that should have a place in the Adult Department pro- 
gram, and to indicate available sources of detailed 
information. 

Physical recreation—Under physical recreation 
are included athletics, such as physical exercise classes 
and track and field events; team, group and mass 
games, such as baseball, volley ball, indoor baseball, © 
and basket ball; aquatics, including swimming, water 
games and contests; winter sports, skating, skiing, and — 
ice hockey; and camping. 

Plays and games for mental diversion.—Under © 
this head are included such plays and games as chess, 
checkers, and billiards. 

Literary, musical, and dramatic events and enter- | 
tainments.— These include a wide range both in num- — 
ber and in character. Typical forms are pageants and 
dramatic entertainments, tableaux and pantomimes, 
concerts and musicales, lectures, debates, parliamentary 
drills, open forums, community “sings,” and reading 
circles. 

Social fellowship events.—Here two principal 
types should be noted: parties and socials for special 
occasions and seasons, such as New Year’s, Washing- 
ton’s Birthday, Saint Patrick’s Day, and Halloween; © 
WiThe literature on this subject is constantly increasing. Among many {i 
sre eae eo oa: eae ee 
for the Playground, Home, School and Gymnasium, Bancroft; Recreation for — 
Young and Old, Ebright; Social Activities for Men and Boys, Chesley; Rural 
and Small Community Recreation, Community Service, Inc.; Phunology, 
Harbin; The Book of Games and Parties for All Occasions, Wolcott; Games, — 


bs a A Book of Original Parties, Owen; Handbook of Games and Programs, 
a Porte. 


164 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


and outdoor socials, such as picnics (of which there 
are a variety, including department picnics, class pic- 
nics, all-church picnics, etc.), bacon bats, camp fires, 
““wienie”’ roasts, marshmallow toasts, etc. 


AGAIN, THE PROBLEM 


It is not contended that the church which undertakes 
to develop a social and recreational program for adults 
has on hand a simple and easy task. Adult recreation 
presents not merely one but many difficult problems. 
Not every church that has undertaken a social and 
recreational ministry to its community has succeeded. 
Some have failed and have given up the attempt in 
despair. Some others have succeeded only to a very 
limited degree but have refused to be daunted and are 
continuing the attempt to work out a solution of the 
difficulties. It is contended that the needs are so great 
—so intimately bound up with the one primary and 
inclusive problem of how the local church can be made 
to serve the moral and spiritual needs of its com- 
munity in a really adequate way—that anything, even 
the smallest beginnings of a social and recreational 
ministry to adults, is better than nothing, and that no 
church which seriously faces its responsibility to its 
community can long be content, as too many churches 
have been in the past, to do nothing. 


For Group Discussion 


I. ‘Why is religious education a process having to 
do with the whole personality ? 
2. Why has the increase of leisure time intensified 
the problem of adult recreation? 
165 


THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


3. Shall the church permit recreation to be “for 
revenue only”? 

4. What influences have contributed to the change 
of attitude of the church toward recreation? 

5. What is the most serious aspect of the present 
situation as regards the church and recreation? 

6. What principles should be regarded as most im- 
portant in developing the social and recreational pro- 
gram for adults? 

7. What types of recreation should have a place 
in the program of the Adult Department of your 
church? | 


For WrittEN Work 


1. What, if anything, has been attempted in your 
church in the way of a systematic social and recrea- 
tional program? Why has not more been under- 
taken ? 

2. To what extent are the adults of your church 
without suitable recreation? To what extent do they 
patronize commercialized forms of recreation? | 

3. What officer of your church is responsible for — 
the development of a church program of recreation? 
If no one is charged with this responsibility, who 
should be made responsible? 

4. What immediate steps could be taken in your 
church toward the development of a social and rec- 
reational program for adults? : 

5. What types of recreation should ultimately enter 
into such a program? 


166 


CHAPTER X 
DEPARTMENT AND CLASS SESSIONS 


WHEN and where shall the Adult Department meet 
in regular session? Under what conditions shall it 
meet as a part of a general assembly of the entire 
school? What shall be its program? What shall be 
the program of the class sessions? These are -some 
of the questions remaining to be considered in our 
discussion of the organization and administration of 
the Adult Department. 


THe PLAcE oF DEPARTMENT SESSIONS 


The problem of where the department shall meet 
is very largely determined by the practical exigencies 
of the case. Where can it meet? Our church build- 
ings being what they are, there is seldom any choice. 
In the large majority of cases at present the one place 
available for the Adult Department is the church 
auditorium. 

Department room.—Few churches are content 
with their present equipment. Probably most of the 
evangelical churches of America are either now def- 
initely planning for a new building or looking for- 
ward longingly to the time when a new building may 
be planned. This being the case, a brief statement on 
facilities desirable for an Adult Department is in 
order. Every department of the Church School needs 

167 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


a separate department room for its own session, with — 


some additional provision if possible for separate class- 
rooms. According to the standards of organization 
now prevailing there are, including the Cradle Roll, 
eight distinct age group departments. Concerning the 
permanence of some of the age-group divisions as now 
standardized there may be some question. There can 
be no question concerning the Adult Department. 
There is no possible readjustment affecting it to be 
made which would make unnecessary at least one de- 
partment room for adults. Whether or not church 
boards may consider it prudent and wise, under these 
conditions, to provide separate department rooms 
for all eight departments, there need be no question 


concerning the requirement of an Adult Department © 


room. 
Again, there should be no question concerning the 
telative importance of a department room and sep- 
arate classrooms. The latter are desirable and will 
add much to the comfort and efficiency of the class 
sessions, but they are not indispensable. A  suit- 
able place for the department session is much more 
necessary, Adequate provision first for the depart- 
ment, afterward for the classes, should be the rule in 
this as in other departments. Normally the Adult De- 
partment is the largest of the departments of the 
school. It will therefore require a department room 
considerably larger than any of the other departments. 
Classrooms should vary in size as classes are certain 
to differ widely in enrollment. If the ideal of 
elective study groups, as advocated in this discussion, 
prevails, not many classrooms need be of maximum 
168 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


size. The number required will depend largely on 
the membership of the church and the size of the con- 
stituency which it serves. 

Equipment of room.—The Adult Department 
room should be attractively furnished. It should be 
homelike and comfortable in appearance, the room 
itself possessing an atmosphere conducive to fellow- 
ship. It need not have many decorations, but those 
it has should be chosen especially for the department 
room and should be both appropriate and decorative. 
The room should be carpeted, and individual chairs 
should be used for seating. Special equipment might 
well include a stereopticon, a dependable set of Bible 
maps, and a department library consisting of books 
chosen with a view to their helpfulness as related to 
the objectives of the department. 

Use of the auditorium.—The Adult Department 
that has only the church auditorium in which to hold 
its sessions is not thereby placed under a serious 
handicap. In many cases the auditorium is admirably 
suited to the purpose of the Sunday assembly of the 
department. Week-evening social sessions will neces- 
sarily be held elsewhere. _ 

The auditorium is likely to have some advantages 
not possessed by a room especially provided for the 
purpose, such, for example, as size. It is scarcely to 
be supposed that another room will be provided capable 
of seating as many people as the auditorium. If 
classrooms are lacking, the large size has an advantage 
other than that of the fact that it is capable of seating 
the maximum department membership; if the depart- 
ment membership is not too large, the classes may be 


169 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


so placed that there is a minimum of interruption dur- 
ing class sessions. 


REASONS FOR A SEPARATE ASSEMBLY 


Entirely apart from the possibility of separate as- 
semblies for the various departments, there are yet 
some who contend for a general assembly of the entire 
school with the possible exception of one or two of 
the elementary departments. 

Traditional objections—The objections commonly 
made to a separate adult assembly are so puerile as 
scarcely to deserve an answer. Since they reveal an 
entire lack of appreciation of the educational ideal of 
Church-School work, it is wholly unlikely that any 
argument involving educational principles will have 
any weight with the objectors. “I like to see the 
whole school together” is the statement most com- 
monly heard by way of protest—as if any part of 
the school is to be conducted for appearance’ sake or 
in accord with the mere likes or dislikes of any person 
or group of persons! “I enjoy being with the chil- 
dren. It takes away half of the pleasure of the Sunday 
school not to be with them and hear their cute sayings 
and their pretty songs.” Again the thought of the 
Sunday-school session as a performance for the enjoy- 
ment of the older members. Such conceptions belong 
to another age than that in which education has become 
the first concern of the state, and religious education 
the most important task of the church. But another 
objection is made: “A few years ago we were told that 
men were needed in the Sunday school to encourage 
the boys to attend; that if the school became a men’s 

170 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


institution, the boys would want to continue in at- 
tendance.” There was something in the argument. 
An institution for infants or even chiefly for children, 
it is freely admitted, is not particularly attractive to 
adolescent boys. But it is not necessary in order to 
give the Church School the desired stamp that the 
men and boys and little children shall all meet to- 
gether. It is even more appealing if the intermediates 
may have their own department of the school, as the 
adult men and women have theirs, and the young peo- 
ple and smaller children theirs. With any thoughtful 
adult who has observed the individuality and new 
spirit of independence of intermediate boys this state- 
ment needs no further confirmation. 

Sense of responsibility—As with the boys and 
girls a separate session gives the adults a sense of 
possession which they do not have in a general assem- 
bly. The adult school is theirs; if it is to be of interest 
and value they must make it so. They are no longer 
listeners or passive recipients; they are participants. 
The whole responsibility is upon them for making the 
department session what it ought to be. This is more 
significant than it may seem on first thought, espe- 
cially if the department is conducted on democratic 
principles, the responsibility of administration being 
shared by all rather than being borne by a few officers. 

A fair deal for the young people.—One additional 
reason deserves emphasis. Fairness toward the young 
people demands that the adults maintain their own 
assembly and thus permit the young people to do the 
same. Where the two groups are together, those who 
are older and more experienced inevitably hold prac- 

171 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


tically all the offices and in various other ways dom- 
inate the entire situation. Thus the young people are 
deprived of the full benefits of participation, of devel- 
opment through responsibility, and of the opportunity 
of training. 

Time adjustment.—The possibility of a separate 
assembly does not depend on the possession of a de- 
partment room. It is not necessary that all the depart- 
ments of the Church School shall be held simultan- 
eously. If facilities are limited, it is very much better 
for them not to be so held than for two or more de- 
partments to be telescoped into a mass assembly. When 
so many public schools, supported as they are by 
taxation, are compelled because of lack of facilities 
to adopt some form of platoon plan, the Church School 
should feel no sense of embarrassment in some de- 
partment sessions being necessarily held at an hour 
different from others. It is entirely possible, for ex- 
ample, for the Young People’s Department to hold its | 
session in the auditorium preceding the public service _ 
of worship and the Adult Department following, or 
vice versa. 


PROGRAM OF DEPARTMENT SESSION 


What should be the program of the Adult Depart- 
ment session? Recognizing that there should be no 
insistence upon identical programs for all departments, 
can some general suggestions be offered of suggestive 
value to all? 

General character of service.—The service should 
be genuinely worshipful, such a service as will be un- 
questionably helpful to the religious life. Much will 

172 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


depend on the hymns that are used. While a popular 
service is required, the mistake should not be made 
of thinking that only a noisy, cheap type of service 
is popular. There is no justification for the demand 
that the hymns used shall have “plenty of ‘pep’” and 
that they shall be set to jazz tunes. Let jazz music be 
relegated to its proper place. It is distinctly out of place 
in a church. Let hymns be chosen which express atti- 
tudes of worship or Christian social attitudes. Songs 
that are merely sentimental, mushy sentiment at that, 
are wholly out of place in an educational service. Un- 
less words have some significant meaning they should 
no more be sung than spoken in a sermon or in a lesson 
discussion. If it is said that adults do not enjoy great 
hymns set to great tunes, the only answer to be made 
is that this is simply an evidence of their need of reli- 
gious education. Often, however, this opinion has no 


~~ real basis. 


Prayer should be given its due place in the service 
of worship. The department program may be made 
a means both of the cultivation of the prayer spirit 
and of training in prayer. Perhaps it is not to be 
expected that every man and woman shall be free 
to engage in audible prayer, but with many the 
lack of readiness so to do is simply a result of never 
having been called upon in such a friendly, intimate 
circle as the Adult Department. The same person or 
the same two or three persons should not always be 
asked to offer prayer. Frequently several should pray 
briefly, in succession. 

Variety in the program may be had by a brief spe- 
cial feature, something different each week. Care 

173 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


should be taken that this does not degenerate into a 
mere job-lot offering. The criticism has sometimes 
been made, and justly, that the special feature is triv- 
ial, merely an excuse for permitting the introduction 
of irrelevant material by strangers and incapable local 
persons who are ambitious to perform. This, of 
course, should not be permitted. The special feature 
should have no place in the program unless it has real 
religious and educational value. It should be elimi- 
nated rather than permitted to waste valuable time of 
the session. 

Department business should not be considered at 
the Sunday session except in an emergency. Regular 
business sessions of the department should be held 
monthly. Committee reports on cases of illness, as- 
signments for visiting during the coming week, prog- 
ress on service projects, and similar items having to 
do with the religious and social service activities of the 
department are in order. This part of the program 
will require to be carefully guarded so that it does not 
develop into a general business session. 

The time element.—The entire program exclusive 
of the lesson period should be brief. Twenty minutes 
ordinarily should be sufficient. ‘While there should 
be due recognition of the place of worship in the 
program, there is no reason why the worship should 
be prolonged. This is preeminently the adult teaching 
service of the church. At most the period of instruc- 
tion is too brief. Custom has decreed that the entire 
session of the Church School shall not be more than 
an hour and a half. How much can we hope to accom- 
plish in the religious instruction of adults within a sin- 

174 


i 
x 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


gle hour once a week? It is evident, is it not, that 
teachers cannot be expected good-naturedly to assent 
to their all-too-brief period being further abbreviated 
by a prolonged miscellaneous program? 

Competition with public worship.—There is an 
additional reason for a brief departmental service of 
worship. The service of worship in the Adult De- 
partment session should not duplicate the public serv- 
ice of worship. If it does so it becomes competitive, 
and this is very unfortunate. All the members of the 
adult school should be expected to attend the public 
service. If the worship service of the department 
is prolonged it will inevitably be made to resemble 
the public service, and increasingly those who are 
whole-heartedly enlisted in the work of the Adult 
Department will allow attendance upon this service 
to take the place of attendance upon the public service. 

The department service should be less formal than 
the public service. It should follow a different order. 
As far as possible it should vary from week to week. 
it should be characterized by spontaneity as well as 
by variety. 

If a demand exists for a brief formal service, it 
may be well to work out a department ritual that will 
be distinctive, worshipful, and expressive of the edu- 
cational ideals of the department. 

Closing service unnecessary.—It is not necessary 
to call together the various classes for a formal clos- 
ing service of the adult assembly. Instead let the ses- 
sion be closed promptly at the end of the period by 
dismissal from the classes. The effect of this is very 
much better than for the assembly to be reconvened, 

175 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


announcements or other relatively unimportant fea- 
tures introduced, and the assembly then dismissed. 
This latter plan, although more or less customary, is 
wasteful of time and has a tendency to dissipate the 
impressions of the lesson period. 

Planning the program.—The program should not 
be an impromptu affair ; it should be carefully planned. 
Naturally, as has been suggested at an earlier point in 
the discussion, this responsibility will devolve upon the 
committee on worship and evangelism. Whether this 
suggestion is followed or not, the planning of the pro- 
gram should represent group conference; it should not 
be left to any one person. 

The program should be one of the ways used to dis- 
cover and develop the latent leadership capacities of 
the members of the department. To this end there 
should be participation by the maximum number of 
persons. There is no reason why two or three leaders 
should monopolize the program week after week and | 
month after month. They may be under the mistaken — 
impression that to do this is to render a kindly serv- 
ice; that all others will be glad not to be expected to 
participate, or that there are no others so well quali- — 
fied for leadership. Whatever the motive, they should — 
be persuaded that the interests of the department de- 
mand the enlistment of all in participation in the pro- 
gram from time to time. If the group consciousness — 
is strong in the classes, it may be well to make one — 
class responsible for the department program for one 
week or month; a second for an equal period, and so © 
on until all classes have served in turn. 

A typical program.—In accordance with these 

176 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


principles the following would be a typical program 
for a department session: 

1. Call to worship (preferably by the piano or or- 

gan; a bell never should be used). 

2. Opening hymn. 

3. Prayer (or prayers). 

4. Departmental business: 

(a) Any necessary reports of committees. 
(b) Special business. 
(c) Announcements. 

5. Worship (hymn, or hymn and prayer). 

6. Special feature. 

7. Class period (forty minutes is a minimum; pre- 

ferably fifty minutes). 

Sessions of classes.—The class should be called to 
order by the president, a brief prayer offered, perhaps 
a verse of a class hymn sung, any necessary report of 
committee received, and the class then given over to 
the direction of the teacher. If the class is an elective 
study group, little if any more formality than this 
will be necessary except when some special need arises. 
Five minutes should be ample for this entire proce- 
dure. Permanent class groups with a more elaborate 
organization may require somewhat more time. In 
either case the class period should be protected against 
the intrusion of miscellaneous business. No more in 
the case of the class than in that of the department 
should the Sunday session be turned into a business 
meeting. If the need sometimes arises, as is likely in 
the case of organized classes of the service type, for 
the consideration of class business in the interval be- 
tween the regular business meetings, a special session 

177 


ORGANIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION 


of the class should be called for a Sc evening or 
other more convenient time. 


AGAIN, THE OBJECTIVES 


At the close of our study it is well that we should 
again raise the question of objectives. Why do we 
have organization in adult religious education? What 
are the ends to be served by organization? Have we 
been true, throughout our discussion of organization 
and administration, to the principle upon which we 
agreed in the beginning?! Are we clear in our judg- 
ment that life and experience, conduct and personality, 
are the ends, and the only ends, supremely important, to 
be served by the men and women of the church organ- 
izing themselves as an adult school of religion? If we 
are agreed in this judgment, what remains to be said 
concerning the conduct of the Sunday session of the 
department? 

Practice of fellowship.—It must be clear that the 
objectives agreed wpon can be attained only as the 
session of the Adult Department is made an occasion 
for the practice of fellowship. The session cannot be 
permitted to be a merely formal religious service. The 
ends for which the department is organized cannot thus 
be realized. The sessions of the department must be 
an actual demonstration of that for which the depart- 
ment ideally stands. Too often in recent years the 
charge has been made that the church, although it 
preaches brotherhood, shows even in its assemblies a 
conspicuous lack of a genuinely democratic fellowship. 
Organizing itself for fellowship, the Adult Department 


1See Chapter I. Reread the entire chapter at this point. 
178 


OF THE ADULT DEPARTMENT 


should exhibit so much of that spirit which found its 
supreme exemplification in Jesus that those who ob- 
serve shall once again be constrained to say that these 
have been with Jesus and have learned of him. 


For Group DIscussion 


t. What are the advantages and the disadvantages 
of the auditorium as the place of meeting of the Adult 
Department? 

2. What are the characteristics of an ideal Adult 
Department assembly room? 

3. Why should the Adult Department meet in a sep- 
arate assembly ? 

4. Is there any special advantage in all departments 
of the Church School meeting simultaneously? 

5. What are the characteristics of a good Adult De- 
partment session? 


For WriTTEN WorK 


I. Does the Adult Department of your church meet 
separately or as a part of a general assembly? If it 
meets as a part of a general assembly, what are the 
reasons for so doing? 

2. Describe the suitability of the auditorium of your 
church, or its lack of suitability, as a meeting place 
for the Adult Department. 

3. Prepare a time schedule that would permit all of 
the departments of your Church School (assuming 
that it is a completely departmentalized school) to meet 
separately. 

4. Outline what you regard as a satisfactory pro- 
gram for the Sunday session of the Adult Department. 


179 


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